jinìa

Sicilian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek γενεά (geneá). Compare Italian genia, Albanian gjini.

Noun

jinìa f (plural jinìi)

1. descent, race (group of elements from the same origin)
2. herd, flock (group of animals)

   Na crapa virminusa nfetta na jinìa.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   (literally, “A verminous goat infects the whole herd.”)

3. (usually derogatory) despicable group of people

   Sacusu tu cu tutta la to jinìa.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

References

• Pasqualino (c. 1790) “jinìa”, in Vocabolario siciliano etimologico, italiano e latino (in Italian), volume 2, page 284
• Traina, Antonino (1868) “jinìa”, in Nuovo vocabolario Siciliano-Italiano [New Sicilian-Italian vocabulary] (in Italian), Liber Liber, published 2020, page 2169