Ceci
/ˈtʃɛtʃi/noun
The plural of the Italian word for chickpea, used in English especially in culinary contexts.
Did you know?Cicero’s famous Roman family name, Marcus Tullius Cicero, came from Latin cicer, meaning “chickpea,” possibly because an ancestor had a distinctive facial growth resembling one.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kikēr
“Chickpea; a likely early source of the Latin word, though the deeper origin is uncertain.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cicer
“Chickpea.”
Ancient Rome
Latin
Cicero
“A Roman family name derived from cicer, “chickpea”; it became famous through Marcus Tullius Cicero.”
Medieval Italian
Italian
cece
“Chickpea, descended from Latin cicer.”
Modern Italian
Italian
ceci
“Chickpeas, the plural of cece.”
Modern English
English
ceci
“An Italian culinary term for chickpeas, especially on restaurant menus and in food writing.”
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