See also: Buffo and buffò

English edit

Etymology edit

From Italian buffo.

Noun edit

buffo (plural buffos or buffi)

  1. (music) A comic singer, particularly in comic opera
    • 2007 January 27, Vivien Schweitzer, “Young Lovers, a Vespa and a Frolic by Rossini”, in New York Times[1]:
      Signor Bruschino was updated from a generic buffo character to an oily, scholarly-looking, suit-clad neurotic, excellently acted and sung by Marco Nistico.

Italian edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈbuf.fo/
  • Rhymes: -uffo
  • Hyphenation: bùf‧fo

Etymology 1 edit

Compare Old French bouffer, originally "to puff up;" both are from Medieval Latin buffa, itself echoic of puffing out cheeks.[1]

Adjective edit

buffo (feminine buffa, masculine plural buffi, feminine plural buffe)

  1. funny, comical, amusing
  2. strange, odd, goofy
  3. whimsical
  4. playful
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

Onomatopoeic.

Noun edit

buffo m (plural buffi)

  1. gust (of wind)
    Synonyms: folata, soffio
  2. puff (of smoke)
    Synonym: sbuffo
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit

Etymology 3 edit

Alteration of puf, from French pouf (debt), used in locutions such as faire pouf and à pouf.

Noun edit

buffo m (plural buffi)

  1. (Roman, usually in the plural) debt
    Synonym: debito

Etymology 4 edit

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb edit

buffo

  1. first-person singular present indicative of buffare

References edit

  1. ^ Pianigiani, Ottorino (1907), “buffo”, in Vocabolario etimologico della lingua italiana (in Italian), Rome: Albrighi & Segati

Further reading edit

  • buffo1 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
  • buffo2 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
  • buffo3 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana