English
ridotto
Ridotto comes from Italian ridotto ‘foyer’, and goes back to Latin reductus ‘restored, reformed, reduced’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEreductus‘restored, reformed, reduced’
- Italianc. 1300–presentridotto‘foyer’
- Englishearliest quotation 1837same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEreductus‘restored, reformed, reduced’
- Italianc. 1300–presentridotto‘foyer’
- Englishearliest quotation 1837same form
Earliest quotation: 1837, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Another London Life: “Night came, with that increase of gaiety which has…”
Linked words
through Latin reductus ‘restored, reformed, reduced’
Today it means
noun A public ball, typically a masquerade, popular in the 18th century.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin reductus / ridotto