Etymology Map
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Alfresco

2 stages from Italian to English.

Today it means in the open air

Where does the word "alfresco" come from? It comes from Italian al fresco, adopted directly into English (1750s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
al fresco
Italian · medieval
"in the cool"
'in the cool'; in modern Italian slang it means 'in jail', where it is also cool
2
Stage 2 of 2
alfresco
English · 1750s
"outdoors"
came to mean eating or painting out of doors
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Read the full story

Alfresco’s story begins in Italian: al fresco meant “in the cool.” 'in the cool'; in modern Italian slang it means 'in jail', where it is also cool. It reached English by 1750s as alfresco. Came to mean eating or painting out of doors. Today, alfresco means in the open air.