English
Portoferraio
Portoferraio comes from Italian Portoferraio.
- Italianc. 1300–presentPortoferraioliterally ‘iron-working harbour’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Italianc. 1300–presentPortoferraioliterally ‘iron-working harbour’
- Englishtodaysame form
A compound of porto ‘harbour’ + ferraio ‘that works iron’
Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to fare’
Proto-Indo-European *pértus ‘crossing’
Proto-Italic *portus ‘harbour’
Latin portus ‘harbor, port’
Italian porto ‘harbour’
Old Latin *fersom
Latin ferrum ‘iron’
Italian ferro ‘iron’
Italian ferraio ‘that works iron’
The story
Borrowed from Italian Portoferraio (literally “iron-working harbour”), from porto (‘harbour’) + ferraio (‘that works iron’), after the numerous ironworks historically present in its territory.
Every English word from Italian Portoferraio
Today it means
name A city and comune in the province of Livorno, Tuscany, Italy, in the north of Elba, featuring a prominent harbour.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Italian Portoferraio / Portoferraio