Nearby Words

putti

[poo-toh; It. poot-taw] Origin

put·to

[poo-toh; It. poot-taw]
noun, plural -ti [-tee] . Fine Arts.
a representation of a cherubic infant, often shown winged.

Origin:
1635–45; < Italian: literally, boy < Latin putus
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Putti is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

putti
1644, from It. putti "small boys," pl. of putto, from L. putus "boy, child."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

putti

a nude, chubby child figure, often with wings, frequently appearing in both mythological and religious paintings and sculpture, especially of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Derived from personifications of love, or Eros figures, in Greek and Roman art, putti came to be used to portray cherubim in Italian paintings of the 15th century, especially those of the Madonna and Child. With the revival of classical mythological subjects in the late 15th century, Cupid was commonly represented as a putto, and numbers of anonymous putti were frequently depicted in attendance on various immortals.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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