ciatu

Sicilian

Alternative forms

• çatu (aulic variant)
• çiatu, sciatu, xiatu (proscribed, misspelled)

Etymology

From Latin flātus, from flāre (“to blow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈça.tu/, [ˈça.tʊ], [ˈʃa-], [ˈt͡ʃa-] (standard)
• Notes: [ç] represents the standard phoneme; [ʃ] and [t͡ʃ] can also occur
• Hyphenation: cià‧tu

Noun

ciatu m (plural ciati)

1. breath

   Synonym: rispiru

2. A person who is dear to one; darling.

   Marìa, a figghia cchiù nica, è u me ciatu. ― Maria, my youngest daughter, is my darling.

3. An affectionate term of address.

   Synonym: vita

   Mâ passassi-tu a buttigghia di l'acqua, ciatu? ― Would you pass me the bottle of water, dear?.

Derived terms

• ciatu curtu
• ciatu meu
• tira-ciatu

Related terms

• ciagurari
• ciagurijari
• ciagurusu
• ciatari
• ciàguru

Descendants

• → Italian: ciato, sciato

Verb

ciatu

1. first-person singular present indicative of ciatari