English

Alternative forms

• (ending in '-o') fennocchio, fennochio, fenocchio, fenochio, finnocchio, finnochio, finocchio, finochio
• (ending in '-a') fenochia, finnochia, finocchia, finocha, finochia
• (ending in '-ie') finochie

Noun

finocchio ‎(plural finocchi or finocchios)

1. A fennel cultivar with a bulb-like structure at its base, used as a vegetable; Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum).
   • 1974, Ali-Bab (author) and Elizabeth Benson (translator), Encyclopedia of Practical Gastronomy, page 41

     Finocchios are shoots of the fennel, an odoriferous plant of the Umbelliferae family.

   • 1981, Country Life, volume 170, page 1,057

     For the first time, finocchio, or Florence fennel, has performed for me as it should and has swollen out into bulbous protrusions at the base of its leaf stalks.

   • 1983, Theodore James, The Gourmet Garden, page 44

     The strong anise odor of finocchio repels many insects from other vegetables.

   • 1994, B. Rosie Lerner and Beverly S. Netzhammer, Possum in the Pawpaw Tree: A Seasonal Guide to Midwestern Gardening, page 43

     Also called Florence fennel, finocchio has long been a popular vegetable in Europe but has somehow fallen out of circulation from most American gardens.

2. (derogatory, slang) A male homosexual.
   • 2008, Edward Anthony Gibbons, A Cultural Affair, page 6

     On many, a cold freezing night, of temperatures hovering near zero, the finocchios tease and try to encourage Tedesco to join in their warm body orgies.

   • 2009, Paul MacKenzie, Redemption Comes to Brooklyn, page 172

     Not to mention, he and Julie were finocchios; but at least Larry was a smart finocchio.

   • 2010, Suzanne Corso, Brooklyn Story, page 182

     “Don’ stand next to any finocchios who might try’n grab your best friend,” Vin cracked. Richie roared as Tony made his way to the men’s room.

   • 2011 August 19, Torchwood: Miracle Day, episode 7: “Immortal Sins”, 23:51–23:57

     Salvatore Maranzano: Rumour is you two are a pair of finocchi.

     Captain Jack Harkness: That’s not a rumour; that’s a boast.

References

• “‖ Finochio” listed on page 237 of volume IV (F and G), § i (F) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1901]
  ‖ Finochio (finǫ·kio). Also 8 fenochia, -io, -occhio, finocha, finochi, 8–9 fin(n)ochia. [It. finocchio: — popular L. fēnoclum: see Fennel.] The sweet fennel (Fœniculum dulce); also called the dwarf or French fennel. [¶] 1723 R. Digby Let. to Pope 14 Aug. How spring the Brocoli and the Fenochio. 1767 J. Abercrombie Ev. Man own Gardener (1803) 658/1 Finochio, or French fennel; for soups, sallads, etc. 1796 C. Marshall Garden. xvi. (1813) 267 Finochio is a sort of dwarf fennel. 1847 Craig, Finnochia, a variety of fennel.
• “‖finochio” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]

Italian

Etymology

From Late Latin fēnuculum (through a later contracted Vulgar Latin form *fenuclum), from a diminutive of Latin fēnum.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔkkjo

Noun

finocchio m ‎(plural finocchi)

1. fennel
2. (idiomatic) queer, poof, nancy boy, faggot

Synonyms

• (both senses): fenocio (Venetian slang)

Related terms

• finocchiella
• finocchiaccio
• finocchietto
• finocchino
• finocchiona
• finocchione

Descendants

• English: finocchio

Anagrams

• fiocchino