purpu

Sicilian

Alternative forms

• pruppu (r metathesis)
• puppu (regressive assimilation)
• pùippu (r iotacism)

Etymology

From an earlier *pōl(y)pus, so possibly from Doric Ancient Greek πώλυπος (pṓlupos) (variant of Ancient Greek πολύπους (polúpous), which gives also polypus). Compare Italian polpo, Sardinian pruppu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpuɾ.pu/, [ˈpuɾ.pʊ], [-pːʊ], [ˈpu(j).pːʊ], [ˈpɾu.pːʊ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uɾpʊ, -uppʊ, -ujppʊ
• Hyphenation: pùr‧pu

Noun

purpu m (plural purpi)

1. octopus
2. (offensive, vulgar) A homosexual man, especially an effeminate one.

   Synonyms: aricchiuni, garrusu, jarrusu

3. (offensive, vulgar) A man considered effeminate, weak, timid, pathetic, emotional, non-heteronormative in some way

Derived terms

• nzalata di purpu
• purpiceḍḍu
• purpignu
• purpu di scogghiu
• spruppari
• spurpari
• spurpatu
• vuci di purpu

Related terms

• calamaru
• parpagnu
• pigghiatu dâ grànnula
• purpa

Descendants

• Italian: (regional, hypercorrected, meaning “octopus”) polipo
• → Italian: purpo, puppo, (surname) Pulpo