Italian edit

Etymology edit

A borrowing from English shoeshine, used by poor Neapolitan children—at the time of the US occupation of Naples during World War II—to advertise their services as shoeshiners on the streets. The word was popularized through the 1946 movie Sciuscià, directed by Vittorio De Sica.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): */ʃuʃˈʃa/*
  • Rhymes: -a
  • Hyphenation: sciu‧scià

Noun edit

sciuscià m (invariable)

  1. shoeshine
  2. shoeblack / bootblack (person)

Neapolitan edit

Etymology 1 edit

Verb edit

sciuscià

  1. Alternative spelling of sciosciare (to blow)

Etymology 2 edit

Borrowed from English shoeshine.

Noun edit

sciuscià m (uncountable)

  1. shoeshine
  2. shoeblack / bootblack (person)