Pellegrino

Part of speech: proper noun, noun

Definitions

1. A type of mineral water originating from Italy, known for its distinctive bubbles and refreshing taste
2. A brand of sparkling water that comes from a natural spring in the San Pellegrino Terme area of Italy
3. Referring to a popular Italian beverage renowned for its carbonated and mineral-rich characteristics

Etymology: Pellegrino is a brand name, and its origin is a place rather than a coinage. The water comes from a spring at San Pellegrino Terme, a spa town in the Italian Alps near Bergamo, and the name is the Italian "Pellegrino," meaning "pilgrim" or "wanderer." The English word borrows that Italian name directly, so when you order it you are asking for water by the name of a small Alpine town. The town takes its name from a saint. "Pellegrino" is the Italian form of the Latin "peregrinus," a word for someone who travels abroad, and saints named Pellegrino were traditionally honored as protectors of travelers. A saint's name attached to a spring is one of the most common ways Italian localities came to be named, and this is how a traveler's blessing ended up on a bottle.

Synonyms: san pellegrino, sparkling water, mineral water