Italianifies

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To transform or adapt something to have characteristics typical of Italian culture or language; to make something resemble or reflect Italian style or customs; to convert language or behavior into an Italian form
2. To modify or alter an object, idea, or expression so that it acquires traits associated with Italy or the Italian people; to infuse with Italian cultural or linguistic elements; to render something in an Italian manner
3. To endow with qualities considered distinctive of Italy or its traditions; to translate or adjust something with Italian influences; to adjust language, facts, or customs so as to represent Italian origin or style

Etymology: "Italianifies" is an English verb built from "Italian" plus the verb-forming suffix "-ify," which comes via Old French "-ifier" from Latin "-ificare," a combining element meaning "to make." The third-person singular form adds "-s," so it is the present tense of "italianify," and the base word "Italian" itself traces back through Latin "Italicus" to "Italia," the name of the peninsula. The "-ify" suffix has been productive in English since the late Middle Ages, and writers have long used it to coin verbs that mean "to make X-like." Verbs of this type, such as "Americanize" and "Anglicize," describe a people or place's style taking hold in another setting. "Italianify" follows that pattern, and its recorded use as a verb is modern, so it is best understood as a creation of English word-formation rather than an inherited term.

Synonyms: italianizes, italianizes