zecchino, n.

zecchino
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zecchino_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zecchinonoun

## Earlier version

- zecchin in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zecchino mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zecchino. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How common is the noun zecchino?

About 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750 | 0.0094
1760 | 0.02
1770 | 0.029
1780 | 0.028
1790 | 0.029
1800 | 0.027
1810 | 0.029
1820 | 0.03
1830 | 0.023
1840 | 0.013
1850 | 0.012
1860 | 0.013
1870 | 0.014
1880 | 0.013
1890 | 0.011
1900 | 0.011
1910 | 0.01
1920 | 0.0092
1930 | 0.011
1940 | 0.011
1950 | 0.011
1960 | 0.012
1970 | 0.012
1980 | 0.012
1990 | 0.013
2000 | 0.01
2010 | 0.0095

### How is the noun zecchino pronounced?

#### British English

/zəˈkiːnəʊ/
zuh-KEE-noh
/zɛˈkiːnəʊ/
zeck-EE-noh

#### U.S. English

/zəˈkiˌnoʊ/
zuh-KEE-noh
/zɛˈkiˌnoʊ/
zeck-EE-noh

### Where does the noun zecchino come from?

Earliest known use

late 1500s

The earliest known use of the noun zecchino is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for zecchino is from 1572, in a translation by W. Malim.

zecchino is a borrowing from Italian.

Etymons: Italian zecchino.

### Nearby entries

1. zebra suit, n. 1853–
2. zebra swallowtail, n. 1855–
3. zebra wolf, n. 1808–
4. zebrawood, n. 1768–
5. zebra woodpecker, n. 1884–
6. zebrina, n. 1846–
7. zebrine, adj. a1810–
8. zebroid, adj. & n. 1881–
9. zebrule, n. 1899–
10. zebu, n. 1771–
11. zecchino, n.1572–
12. Zechstein, n. 1798–
13. zed, n. c1175–
14. zedbed, n. 1954–
15. zedoary, n. Old English–
16. zedonk, n. 1961–
17. zee, n. 1580–
18. Zeelander, n. c1400–
19. Zeelandic, adj. 1802–
20. Zeelandish, adj. 1593–
21. Zeeman, n. 1897–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Italian.
Etymon: Italian zecchino.
< Italian zecchino, †zechino, (regional: Venice) zecchin gold coin of a type minted in Venice (1536), (in extended use) any gold coin (a1565) < zecca the mint at Venice + ‑ino ‑ine suffix1.

Compare chequin n.…
< Italian zecchino, †zechino, (regional: Venice) zecchin gold coin of a type minted in Venice (1536), (in extended use) any gold coin (a1565) < zecca the mint at Venice + ‑ino ‑ine suffix1.

Compare chequin n., sequin n.

### Notes

Compare Middle French zekin (late 16th cent.), Middle French, French †zechin (late 16th cent.), French †zecchin, †zequin (early 17th cent.).
Further etymology from Arabic
Italian zecca (14th cent.) and Spanish ceca (1511; attested earliest in a text from Sicily, which was at that time under Spanish rule), both in sense ‘mint’, are < Arabic sikka (in Spanish Arabic sekka) die used for minting coins, (hence) coin (> sicca n.1; sakk to excavate); compare Arabic dār al-sikka mint, lit. ‘house of minting’. With Spanish cequí compare e.g. maravedí maravedi n., another borrowing from an Arabic word formed with the same suffix.
Specific forms
In plural form zecchini after the Italian plural form.
The plural form sechinis shows double marking.
With the initial s in some β forms compare sequin n.
In form zequi at α forms probably after Spanish †cequí (beginning of the 17th cent.; < an apparently unattested Spanish Arabic variant of Arabic sikkī type of gold coin (although it is unclear whether that word is attested prior to the 19th cent., when several European dictionaries of Arabic record it) < sikka mint (see below) + ‑ī ‑i suffix2).

## Meaning & use

Now historical or archaic.

1. 1572–
   A gold coin of a type minted by the Republic of Venice from the 13th cent., and until the 19th cent. widely used in trade and commerce throughout Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, and further afield; any of various similar coins minted elsewhere, esp. those produced to the same standards as the Venetian coin for the purpose of facilitating international trade; a ducat. Also occasionally more generally: †a coin; a piece of money (obsolete). Cf . chequin n., ducat n., sequin n. 1.
   α forms
   1. 1572

      > I..gaue my selfe slaue to one Sangaccho del Bir, promising hym 500. Zechins [Italian cechini] for my raunsome.

      W. Malim, translation of N. Martinengo, True Rep. Famagosta f. 13v
   2. 1575

      > Zechines of glistering golde, two thousand was his price.

      G. Gascoigne, Hundred Flowers in Works (1907) vol. I. 77
   3. 1613

      > Euery Zequi being sixteene ryalls, and with vs eight pence.

      S. Purchas, Pilgrimage vii. iv. 564
   4. 1617

      > In Turkey the gold zechines of Venice are most currant.

      F. Moryson, Itinerary i. 276
   5. a1701

      > For which they pay the Turks a Rent of one Zequin a day.

      H. Maundrell, Journey Aleppo to Jerusalem (1703) 100
   6. 1727

      > I presented the Officer..with five Zequeens.

      A. Hamilton, New Account of East Indies vol. I. 304
   7. 1766

      > Two scudi make a zequine; and a French loui'dore is worth about two zequines.

      T. Smollett, Travels France & Italy vol. II. xxx. 107
   8. 1819

      > They would swear the mother that bore them a sorceress for a zecchin.

      W. Scott, Ivanhoe vol. III. vi. 153
   9. 1841

      > The Italian zecchin, is worth about $2.30; and the Venetian pistole, $3.88... The Turkish piastre..is worth 37 cents; the zecchin, $1.35.

      R. Park, Pantology xiv. vi. 483
   10. 1857

       > If you don't choose to submit to be cheated by them out of a ducat here and a zecchin there, you will be cheated by them out of your picture.

       J. Ruskin, Political Economy of Art ii. 124
   11. 1960

       > Mogadishu, it seems, may have imported Venetian zecchins.

       Journal African History vol. 1 40
   12. 2004

       > Nerli asks for an estimate on Papi's work, recommending 100 zecchins for the difficulty of the operation that had to be carried out.

       F. Falletti in S. Bracci, Exploring David 63/1
   β forms
   1. 1595

      > Cecchino, or Zecchino, a Venetian Duckate.

      A. Hartwell, translation of G. T. Minadoi, Hist. Warres Turkes & Persians sig. HHh2 (table)
   2. 1599

      > Euery Sechino is of venetian money eight liuers and two soldes.

      J. Lok in R. Hakluyt, Principal Navigations (new edition) vol. II. i. 102
   3. 1617

      > The gold coyne of the Venetians is called Zecchino.

      F. Moryson, Itinerary i. 88
   4. 1622

      > One of the Gentlemen of Venice,..was..wel gratified with a sufficient recompence of Zecchinos.

      True Relation Affaires Europe 7
   5. 1758

      > A Zecchino, nine Livres thirteen Sols and a Half.

      translation of J. G. Keyssler, Travels (new edition) vol. II. 59
   6. 1815

      > Each of them gave twenty sechini to King Theodore to buy shirts and clothes.

      Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, D.C.) 25 September
   7. 1860

      > On cleaning a gurnet, she found in its inside a Venetian zecchino, which she disposed of for 15s 2d.

      Hampshire Advertiser 12 May 3/2
   8. 1956

      > The gold zecchino of the Venetian Republic.

      Times 7 April 9/2
   9. 2004

      > Aunt Greysteel had rented a house in Padua... It was very convenient for everywhere and only eighty sechinis a quarter.

      S. Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (2005) lx. 867
   10. 2013

       > A statue the size of the Apollino..cost 400 zecchini in 1794.

       Rijksmuseum Bulletin vol. 61 13/2
   coins and banknotes archaic historical
   1. florin 1303–
      The English name of a gold coin weighing about 54 grains, first issued at Florence in 1252.
   2. jane c1386–1671
      A small silver coin of Genoa introduced into England towards the end of the 14th century: cf. galley-halfpenny, n. Obsolete.
   3. bagatine c1470–
      A small copper coin used in some Italian states from the medieval period to the 17th cent., originally and traditionally worth a quarter of a…
   4. ducat c1470–
      A money of account, used esp. in the Republic of Venice; an amount equivalent in value to a ducat. Now historical.
   5. ounce c1520–
      a. A large gold coin used in Spain and its empire in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and in Latin American republics in the 19th cent. Now histo…
   6. bajocco a1549–
      A small Italian copper coin (now obsolete) of small value (see quot. 1860).
   7. denar a1549–
      A coin: the Roman denarius, n.; the Italian denaro or Spanish dinero of the 16–17th centuries; the Persian and East Indian dinar, n.
   8. julio a1549–1909
      A silver coin struck by Pope Julius II (1503–13), formerly current in Italy.
   9. zecchino 1572–
      A gold coin of a type minted by the Republic of Venice from the 13th cent., and until the 19th cent. widely used in trade and commerce throughout…
   10. chequin a1587–
       A gold coin of a type minted originally by the Republic of Venice, and until the 19th cent. used widely in trade and commerce throughout Europe…
   11. mocenigo 1599–1655
       A Venetian silver coin weighing approx. 6.5 grams, introduced under Pietro Mocenigo (Doge of Venice 1474–6) and issued until 1575.
   12. soldo 1599–
       An Italian coin and money of account, formerly the twentieth part of a lira.
   13. quattrino 1605–
       A small coin of low value used in a number of Italian states from the 14th cent. until (in the Papal States) the 19th cent. (originally a billon coin…
   14. gazet 1607–82
       A Venetian coin of small value.
   15. lira 1617–
       The name of an Italian silver coin; the unit of monetary value in Italy until the adoption of the euro (Euro, n.² 1a) in January 1999.
   16. paolo 1617–
       Originally: a papal silver coin, first struck during the pontificate of Paul III (1543–9), roughly equivalent in value to the giulio and circulating…
   17. sequin 1617–
       A gold coin of a type minted originally by the Republic of Venice, and until the 19th cent. used widely in trade and commerce throughout Europe…
   18. julet 1632
       A coin; = julio, n.
   19. betso 1641–
       ‘A small brass coin in Venice.’ Barretti.
   20. quadruple 1655–
       A coin of the value of four pistoles (see pistole, n.). Now historical.
   21. scudo c1660–
       A silver coin and money of account formerly current in various Italian states, usually worth about 4 shillings.
   22. grosso a1669–
       A large silver coin minted by the Republic of Venice from the end of the 12th cent. and in various Italian cities from the early 13th cent…
   23. doppy 1691–92
       A former gold coin of Italy; a pistole.
   24. Venetian 1698–1834
       A sequin of Venice, as current in India and adjacent countries. Obsolete.
   25. carlin?1706–1818
       ‘A small silver coin current in Naples and Sicily, equivalent to about four-pence English’ (Chambers Cycl. Supp.), or, in later times, twopence.
   26. quadruple pistole 1707–
       = quadruple, n. A.3.
   27. pentecontalitron 1738–
       A large gold coin or medallion of ancient Sicily, worth fifty litrae or ten drachmas.
   28. paul 1767–
       A type of papal or Italian coin: = paolo, n.
   29. crazia 1805–
       A copper coin of Tuscany, the twelfth part of a lira.
   30. centesimo 1840–
       In Italy: a monetary unit equal to one-hundredth of a lira; (also) a coin of this value.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. zecchino 1572–
      A gold coin of a type minted by the Republic of Venice from the 13th cent., and until the 19th cent. widely used in trade and commerce throughout…
   2. seraph a1576–
      A Turkish gold coin; a sequin.
   3. manghir 1585–
      A Turkish copper coin (originally weighing approx. 2.5 grams, subsequently dropping at some mints to approx. 1.5 grams).
   4. chequin a1587–
      A gold coin of a type minted originally by the Republic of Venice, and until the 19th cent. used widely in trade and commerce throughout Europe…
   5. asper 1587–
      A small silver Turkish coin, of which 120 were reckoned equal to the piastre; in later use only a ‘money of account’.
   6. sultane 1612–1704
      = sultanin, n.
   7. sultanin a1613–1749
      A former Turkish gold coin valued at about 8s.
   8. sultany a1613–90
      = sultanin, n.
   9. sherifi 1615–
      A gold coin formerly current in the Levant.
   10. piastre 1617–
       Originally: a small coin and monetary unit of the Ottoman Empire, equal to one hundredth of a lira or pound. In later use: any of various similar…
   11. sequin 1617–
       A gold coin of a type minted originally by the Republic of Venice, and until the 19th cent. used widely in trade and commerce throughout Europe…
   12. sultana 1656
       = sultanin, n. Obsolete. rare.
   13. sultaness 1661
       = sultanin, n. Obsolete.
   14. para 1687–
       A Turkish monetary unit, equal to one-fortieth of a piastre. Now historical.
   15. medjidie 1855–
       A large Turkish silver coin minted from 1844 until 1919, a twenty kurush piece (weighing 24 grams).
   16. kurus 1882–
       A Turkish piastre, […] of the value of a lira; a coin of this value.
   17. metalik 1895–
       (An informal name for) any of a number of former low-grade silver Turkish coins, esp. the para and the piastre.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zəˈkiːnəʊ/
zuh-KEE-noh
/zɛˈkiːnəʊ/
zeck-EE-noh

### U.S. English

/zəˈkiˌnoʊ/
zuh-KEE-noh
/zɛˈkiˌnoʊ/
zeck-EE-noh

###
Plural: zecchini

### British English

/zəˈkiːni/
zuh-KEE-nee
/zɛˈkiːni/
zeck-EE-nee

### U.S. English

/zəˈkiˌni/
zuh-KEE-nee
/zɛˈkiˌni/
zeck-EE-nee

###
Variant: zecchin

### British English

/ˈzɛkiːn/
ZECK-een

### U.S. English

/ˈzɛkin/
ZECK-een

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Forms

### Inflections

Plural: zecchini ( British English /zəˈkiːni/ (zuh-KEE-nee) , /zɛˈkiːni/ (zeck-EE-nee) , U.S. English /zəˈkiˌni/ (zuh-KEE-nee) , /zɛˈkiˌni/ (zeck-EE-nee) )

### Variant forms

##### α.

1. 1500s–1600s
   zechine, zechyne
2. 1600s
   zeccheen, zecheen, zequi
3. 1600s–1700s
   zequin, zequine
4. 1600s–1800s
   zechin
5. 1600s–
   zecchin ( British English /ˈzɛkiːn/ (ZECK-een) , U.S. English /ˈzɛkin/ (ZECK-een) ), zecchine
6. 1700s
   zeckin, zequeen

##### β.

1. 1500s
   sechino
2. 1500s–1800s
   zechino
3. 1500s–
   zecchino
4. 1800s
   sechini (plural)
5. 1800s–
   sechinis (plural)

## Frequency

zecchino typically occurs about 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.

zecchino is in frequency band 3, which contains words occurring between 0.01 and 0.1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zecchino, n., 1750–2010

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.

The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.

For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.

Decade | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
1750 | 0.0094
1760 | 0.02
1770 | 0.029
1780 | 0.028
1790 | 0.029
1800 | 0.027
1810 | 0.029
1820 | 0.03
1830 | 0.023
1840 | 0.013
1850 | 0.012
1860 | 0.013
1870 | 0.014
1880 | 0.013
1890 | 0.011
1900 | 0.011
1910 | 0.01
1920 | 0.0092
1930 | 0.011
1940 | 0.011
1950 | 0.011
1960 | 0.012
1970 | 0.012
1980 | 0.012
1990 | 0.013
2000 | 0.01
2010 | 0.0095

zecchino, n. was revised in June 2018.

zecchino, n. was last modified in September 2024.