Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ

A.Word.A.Day--ciao

ciao (chou) interjection

Used to express greeting or farewell.

[Italian, from dialectal ciau, alteration of Italian (sono vostro) schiavo, (I am your) slave, from Medieval Latin sclavus.]

"Thankfully, by the film's end, the Allied forces save the day and a happy ending greets everyone. Ciao." Francis Dass, Dull and ditzy flick, The New Straits Times, Mar 18, 2000.

This week's theme: words with unusual etymologies.

X-Bonus