LexBrew
Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·italian ·1920s

Ciao

from ciao

Meaning
Hello / goodbye — from Venetian *s'ciavo* ("I am your slave," a polite Renaissance greeting).
Source word
ciao
Route into English
Italian common usage → English casual register by 1920s; common in international English as informal sign-off.
Arrived
1920s

English borrows.

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