puzzo

See also: puzzò

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈput.t͡so/
• Rhymes: -uttso
• Hyphenation: pùz‧zo

Etymology 1

From Vulgar Latin *pūtium, derived from Latin pūteō.

Alternative forms

• puzza f (literary, regional)

Noun

puzzo m (plural puzzi)

1. (bad) smell, stink, stench

   Synonyms: fetore, (literary) leppo, lezzo, (literary) mefite, (obsolete) nidore, olezzo, (literary, obsolete) putore, puzza, (obsolete) puzzore, tanfo

   Antonyms: aroma, effluvio, fragranza, (literary) olezzo, profumo

   • mid 1300s–mid 1310s, Dante Alighieri, “Canto IX”, in Inferno [Hell]‎^[1], lines 31–33; republished as Giorgio Petrocchi, editor, La Commedia secondo l'antica vulgata [The Commedia according to the ancient vulgate]‎^[2], 2^nd revised edition, Florence: publ. Le Lettere, 1994:

     Questa palude che ’l gran puzzo spira
     cigne dintorno la città dolente,
     u’ non potemo intrare omai sanz’ira

     That is the lowest region and the darkest, and farthest from the heaven which circles all. Well know I the way; therefore be reassured. This fen, which a prodigious stench exhales, encompasses about the city dolent, where now we cannot enter without anger.

2. (figurative) hint, suspicion, inkling

   Synonyms: indizio, sentore

   Sento puzzo d'imbroglio in tutta questa faccenda. ― This whole affair stinks of fraud. (literally, “I smell stink of fraud in this whole affair.”)

3. (figurative, rare) an annoyingly excessive fuss (about something)

   Quanto puzzo per nulla! ― All this fuss about nothing! (literally, “How much fuss for nothing!”)

Derived terms

• appuzzare
• impuzzire
• impuzzolire
• puzzare
• puzzola
• puzzolente
• puzzore
• puzzoso

 

Related terms

• putente
• putido
• putine
• putire
• putore

 

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

puzzo

1. first-person singular present indicative of puzzare

Further reading

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