ruffiano
English edit
Noun edit
ruffiano (plural ruffianos)
Italian edit
Etymology edit
From roffia (“dirt”), from Old High German hruf (“eschar, crust”). Cognate with Icelandic hrufla (“to scratch”), English ruffle. Alternatively from Vulgar Latin *rufianus, from rūfus (“red”).[1]
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ruffiano m (plural ruffiani, feminine ruffiana)
- pander, procurer, pimp
- Synonyms: magnaccia, protettore, lenone, pappone
- bootlicker
- sycophant
- flunky
- hanger-on