Borrowed words from Italian can be grouped into several types:
Music ("concerto", "opera", "violin"), military ("colonel", "attack"), architecture ("balcony", "corridor"), economic ("bankrupt"), food ("macaroni", "pizza") and politics ("ballot", "fascist").
Also from Italian is a word associated with the USA ("America") and one associated with the UK ("umbrella").
| Word | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| a cappella | Singing without music. One of many musical terms from Italian. | |
| alarm | call to arms | One of many military terms from Italian. |
| allegro | lively, gay | Musical term: in brisk time. |
| America | Continent named after an Italian navigator and cartographer. | |
| aria | Musical term: a long accompanied song for one voice. | |
| attack | ||
| balcony | One of many architectural terms from Italian. | |
| ballot | From the balls used for voting. | |
| bandit | ||
| bank | money lenders' table | |
| bankrupt | broken money lenders' table | The table would be broken if the money lender was unable to trade. |
| bravo | Cry of approval. | |
| broccoli | A vegetable. One of many food terms from Italian. | |
| buffoon | ||
| canon | large tube | |
| canteen | ||
| cartoon | ||
| casino | ||
| colonel | Military rank. | |
| concerto | Musical term: music for a single instrument accompanied by orchestra. | |
| confetti | little sweets | Thrown at a newly married couple. |
| corridor | ||
| crescendo | grow | Musical term: gradual increase in loudness. |
| desk | table | |
| ditto | said | |
| dome | ||
| escort | ||
| fascist | bundle | From the symbol of Roman imperial power. |
| fiasco | ||
| fresco | Method of painting. | |
| gazette | Venetian small coin | From the cost of a news sheet. |
| ghetto | From the name of a Jewish area in 15th century Venice. | |
| gondola | Originally a cabin on an airship. | |
| graffiti | ||
| gusto | ||
| incognito | ||
| inferno | ||
| influenza | An illness. | |
| lava | ||
| libretto | little book | Musical term: the text of an opera. |
| lido | A bathing place near Venice now a generic term for swimming pools in the UK. | |
| macaroni | A type of pasta. | |
| madrigal | Musical term: short song for several voices. | |
| maestro | ||
| Mafia | ||
| malaria | bad air | It used to be thought that malaria was caused by stale air. |
| manager | ||
| mandolin | A stringed musical instrument. | |
| mezzanine | middle | Middle level floor in a building. |
| Morocco | from Marrakesh | North African country. |
| motto | saying | |
| moustache | ||
| nepotism | nephew | Giving jobs to relatives. |
| opera | works | Plural of 'opus' (work). |
| parasol | for the sun | |
| partisan | ||
| pasta | paste | From the dried flour paste used in cooking. |
| piano | from 'pianoforte' - soft loud | Musical instrument. |
| pizza | ||
| porcelain | ||
| portfolio | ||
| prima donna | first lady | |
| propaganda | Originally a religious term. | |
| quartet | Musical term: for four voices or instruments. | |
| regatta | boat race | |
| risk | run into danger | |
| semolina | little bran | Grains left after the milling of flour. |
| solo | Single performer. | |
| sonata | Composition for a single instrument. | |
| soprano | The highest female voice. | |
| spaghetti | little strings | A type of pasta. |
| staccato | detach | Musical term: play in an abrupt manner. |
| stiletto | little dagger | Originally a dagger, then the heel of a female's shoe. |
| stucco | ||
| studio | ||
| tarantula | Named after area where found in Italy. | |
| tempo | Musical term: time. | |
| torso | trunk | |
| trio | Musical term: for three voices or instruments. | |
| umbrella | little shadow | |
| vendetta | ||
| vermicelli | little worms | A type of pasta. |
| viola | Musical term; a stringed instrument. | |
| violin | Musical term; a stringed instrument. | |
| virtuoso | ||
| volcano | ||
| zany | Venetian version of 'John'. |
