English
fantoccini
Fantoccini comes from Italian fante ‘child’.
- Italianc. 1300–presentfante‘child’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentfantoccini
- Englishearliest quotation 1861same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Italianc. 1300–presentfante‘child’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentfantoccini
- Englishearliest quotation 1861same form
Earliest quotation: 1861, Henry Mayhew, London labour and the London poor: “A man of the name of Flocton from Birmingham…”
Every English word from Italian fante
Today it means
noun Puppets caused to enact dramatic scenes by means of machinery.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Italian fante / fantoccini