Unknown. There are several etymologies proposed, and no single one can be said to be far ahead of the others in terms of getting majority preference yet.[1] Pușcariu and Densușianu proposed a derivation from a Vulgar Latin root *circlina, from Latin circulus, with an Italian dialectal word as the main evidence, a word which referred to "inflorescence of walnut trees and oak trees" and which derives from Latin circellus.
Another etymology [2] derives it from Romanian cioc, citing the Italian word ciocca (“bunch of grapes; bunch of leaves; tuft/bunch/lock of hair”). Italian ciocca is of unclear origin; an Italian etymological dictionary derives it from a Slavic word which could be cognate to Romanian ciuc, hence the similar meanings of ciocca and Romanian ciuc ("tuft of hair", etc.). A more recent etymology derives ciorchine from ciochină, an old Romanian word for the back part of a horse saddle which was essentially an eminence to which packs and items were attached, often in a bunch, and ciochină itself may derive from cioc/ciuc. There are additional etymologies as well.
ciorchine m (plural ciorchini)
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) ciorchine | ciorchinele | (niște) ciorchini | ciorchinii |
genitive/dative | (unui) ciorchine | ciorchinelui | (unor) ciorchini | ciorchinilor |
vocative | ciorchine | ciorchinilor |