carusu

Sicilian

Alternative forms

• caru' (apocope, collective vocative)

Etymology

Disputed. Some have sustained a not well explained derivation from Ancient Greek κόρος (kóros, “boy”). More likely it derives from a vulgar readjectivized use of Latin cārus (“dear, beloved; expensive”), from caru (“dear, beloved”) +‎ -usu (-ose, -ous), then substantivized. If this latter is right, compare Irish cara and English whore for similar developments.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaˈɾusʊ/
• Hyphenation: ca‧rù‧su

Noun

carusu m (plural carusi)

1. young boy, child

   Synonyms: picciottu, picciriḍḍu, scugnizzu

   Synonym: cagnolu (derogatory)

   Vacci a leggiu cu iḍḍu: è ancora 'n carusu.

   Go easy on him: he is but a child.

2. guy

   Synonyms: cristianu, picciottu, pirsuna, tipu, tìzziu

3. (now rare) A young worker.

   Synonyms: garzuni, jarzuni, picciottu

4. (historical, mid-1800s) an exploited boy, among 6-14 years approximately, used as a labourer in a sulfur, salt or potash mine, due to their ability to enter narrow shafts of mines.

   Synonym: scugnizzu

Synonyms

• (young person): See figghiu & carusa
• (offspring): See figghiu and figghia

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “offspring”): patri, matri, ginituri
• (antonym(s) of “person below the age of adulthood”): adurtu

Derived terms

• carusanza
• carusazzu
• caruseḍḍu
• carusittu
• carusuzzu

 

Related terms

• anticchia
• bamminu
• cagnolu
• criata
• figghiu
• granni
• jùvini
• nicu
• picca
• picciottu
• vecchiu

 

Descendants

• → Italian: caruso, Caruso