Word of the Day

: January 15, 2009

trattoria

noun trah-tuh-REE-uh

What It Means

: restaurant; specifically : a usually small Italian restaurant

trattoria in Context

Asked by his brother to recommend a restaurant, Marco suggested his favorite trattoria, which has the best linguini Bolognese in the city.

Did You Know?

In Italian, "trattore" is the word for an innkeeper or restaurant owner. That word derives from the Old French verb "traitier," which means "to treat" and is related to the Latin "tractare," meaning "to drag about, handle, or deal with." "Trattoria," which first appeared in English in 1832, is one of several words that have entered our language to refer to a kind of specialized eatery -- in this case, one that specializes in Italian cuisine. Others that have come later include "bistro" (from French, 1921), "brasserie" (from French, 1864), and "taqueria" (from Mexican Spanish, 1982).