virrina

Sicilian

Alternative forms

• birrina, firrina, nfirrina

Etymology

Akin to Italian verrina, of uncertain origin. Traditionally derived from Ancient Greek πείρω (peírō, “to pierce, run through”).

Noun

virrina f (plural virrini)

1. auger, gimlet

   Near-synonyms: tràpanu, virruggiu, passaturi, pirciaturi, asta, mancina

2. (figurative) fraudster, swindler

Derived terms

• virrinedda
• virriniari
• virrinuna
• virrinuni

 

Related terms

• virruggiu

 

Descendants

• → Maltese: berrina

References

• Traina, Antonino (1868) “virrina”, in Nuovo vocabolario Siciliano-Italiano [New Sicilian-Italian vocabulary] (in Italian), Liber Liber, published 2020, page 4550
• Pasqualino (c. 1790) “virrina”, in Vocabolario siciliano etimologico, italiano e latino (in Italian), volume 5, page 328
• Mortillaro, Vincenzo (1862) “virrina”, in Nuovo vocabolario siciliano-italiano (in Italian), page 927