siciliano

noun

si·​cil·​i·​a·​no

sə̇ˌsilēˈä(ˌ)nō,

sə̇ˌchi-

variants or siciliana

-nə

or sicilienne

sə̇¦silē¦en

plural -s

1

: a graceful Sicilian rustic dance in which the partners are joined with handkerchiefs

2

: the music for the siciliano in ⁶/₈ or ¹²/₈ time characterized by a lyrical melody with dotted rhythm and similar to the pastorale

Word History

Etymology

siciliano modification (influenced by Italian siciliano Sicilian) of Italian siciliana; siciliana from It, from feminine of siciliano Sicilian, from Sicilia Sicily (from Latin) + -ano -an (from Latin -anus); sicilienne from French, from Italian siciliana

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!