paesano

[ pahy-zon-oh ]

noun,plural pae·sa·ni [pahy-zon-ee], /paɪˈzɒn i/, pae·san·os [pahy-zon-ohz]. /paɪˈzɒn oʊz/.
  1. a person who shares one’s place of origin; a compatriot, especially among Italians or people of Italian descent.

  2. a person associated with the Italian mafia; mafioso.

Origin of paesano

1
First recorded in 1930–35; from Italian; literally, “countryman, fellow countryman,” from Late Latin adjective and noun pāgēnsis “pertaining to the country or a country district; an inhabitant of the country”; see also pagan, peasant
  • Also pae·san [pahy-zahn] /paɪˈzɑn/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024