buzzico

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbut.t͡si.ko/
• Rhymes: -uttsiko
• Hyphenation: bùz‧zi‧co

Etymology 1

Deverbal from buzzicare (“to whisper, murmur”) +‎ -o.

Noun

buzzico m (plural buzzichi)

1. (dated) a murmur, whisper; a light rustling sound

   Synonyms: buzzichio, mormorio, sussurro, fruscio

   tirare/sparare a buzzico ― (hunting) to shoot in the direction from which the sound of the game comes

Further reading

• “buzzico¹” in Dizionario Italiano Olivetti, Olivetti Media Communication
• “buzzico¹”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026
• “buzzico” in Aldo Gabrielli, Grandi Dizionario Italiano (Hoepli)
• bùzzico o buzzichìo in sapere.it – De Agostini Editore

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Noun

buzzico m (uncountable)

1. (games, Rome, dated) tag (kids chasing game)

   Synonym: acchiapparella

Derived terms

• buzzico rampichino

Further reading

• “buzzico²” in Dizionario Italiano Olivetti, Olivetti Media Communication
• “buzzico²”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026
• bùzzico in sapere.it – De Agostini Editore

Etymology 3

due buzzichi (noun sense 1)

Uncertain. Some sources derive this from the dialectal Arabic بُوزَقّ (būzaqq, “someone with a belly”), from بُو (bū, “someone with”) +‎ زَقّ (zaqq, “belly”). The semantic shift is explainable due to the container's characteristic shape, compare buzzicone (“fat person”), which seemingly retained the original meaning. Anyhow most certainly akin to buzzo (“fat, belly”). The voiceless /ts/ instead of /dz/ is likely due to influence of the other senses.

Noun

buzzico m (plural buzzichi)

2. (regional, central-southern Italy) tin oil container with a long spout

Further reading

• “buzzico³” in Dizionario Italiano Olivetti, Olivetti Media Communication

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

buzzico

1. first-person singular present indicative of buzzicare

Further reading

• “buzzico” in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)