Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
saltimbanco. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
saltimbanco, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
saltimbanco in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
saltimbanco you have here. The definition of the word
saltimbanco will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
saltimbanco, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian saltimbanco. Used thus in English because of the association with street performers, seen by the settled population in English-speaking culture as not to be trusted. A more usual and more accurate English word, derived from similar sources, is mountebank.
Pronunciation
Noun
saltimbanco (plural saltimbancos)
- A quack doctor, a fraud.
- Synonyms: mountebank, quack
Italian
Etymology
Univerbation of salta + in + banco, literally “leap (or somersault) on the bench”.[1] Compare Sicilian sautavancu.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sal.timˈban.ko/
- Rhymes: -anko
- Hyphenation: sal‧tim‧bàn‧co
Noun
saltimbanco m (plural saltimbanchi, feminine saltimbanca)
- acrobat
- Synonyms: acrobata, funambolo, giocoliere
- (figurative, derogatory) charlatan
- Synonyms: ciarlatano, (archaic) montambanco
Descendants
References
- ^ saltimbanco in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Spanish
Noun
saltimbanco m (plural saltimbancos)
- Alternative form of saltimbanqui
Further reading