macchia

See also: Macchia

English

macchia in Corsica

Etymology

From Corsican machja, related to Italian macchia and French maquis; ultimately from Latin macula. Doublet of macula, macule, and maquis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmæk.ɪa/

Noun

macchia (uncountable)

1. A shrubland biota in Mediterranean countries, typically consisting of densely-growing evergreen shrubs.

Related terms

• maquis

Translations

shrubland biota

• Catalan: màquia (ca) f
• French: maquis (fr)
• German: Macchie (de) f
• Icelandic: makí-kjarr n
• Italian: macchia (it) f
• Polish: makia (pl) f, makchia f
• Portuguese: maquis

Further reading

• maquis shrubland on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmak.kja/
• Rhymes: -akkja
• Syllabification: màc‧chia

Etymology 1

From Vulgar Latin *macla, from Latin macula. Doublet of macula, a borrowing.

Noun

macchia f (plural macchie)

1. stain, smear
2. spot, fleck
3. (figurative) blot, speck, disgrace
4. (figurative, uncommon) defect, flaw

   Synonyms: difetto, neo

Derived terms

• macchia solare
• macchiaiolo
• macchioso
• smacchiare

 

Related terms

• macchiare
• macchiato

 

Further reading

• macchia¹ in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Etymology 2

A semantic extension of the above.

Noun

macchia f (plural macchie)

1. shrub, bush, brake
2. macchia (shrubland biota)
3. (by extension) generic name for plants commonly found in a macchia

Derived terms

• macchiaiolo
• macchiatico
• macchieto
• macchioso
• smacchiare

 

Further reading

• macchia² in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

macchia

1. inflection of macchiare:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Anagrams

• macachi