Etymology Map
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Stucco

3 stages from Lombardic to English.

Today it means fine plaster used on walls and ceilings

Where does the word "stucco" come from? It comes from Lombardic stuhhi, passing through Italian before entering English (1590s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
stuhhi
Lombardic · medieval
"crust"
a crust or piece, a Germanic word of the Lombards
2
Stage 2 of 3
stucco
Italian · 1400s
"plaster"
Renaissance and Baroque craftsmen made lavish stucco decoration
3
Stage 3 of 3
stucco
English · 1590s
"plaster"
borrowed for rendered plaster walls and moulding
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Read the full story

Stucco’s story begins in Lombardic: stuhhi meant “crust.” A crust or piece, a Germanic word of the Lombards. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in Italian as stucco. Renaissance and Baroque craftsmen made lavish stucco decoration. It reached English by 1590s as stucco. Borrowed for rendered plaster walls and moulding. Today, stucco means fine plaster used on walls and ceilings.