Galleria
/ɡəˈlɪəriə/noun
A covered shopping arcade or commercial gallery, especially one named in the Italian style.
Did you know?Galleria entered English through Italian, while the wider gallery family may ultimately connect to Latin galea, “helmet,” possibly evoking the curved, helmet-like shape of an arcade’s roof.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
γαλέα (galea)
“A type of helmet; the proposed deeper source behind the later gallery family, though the connection is not completely certain.”
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
galeria
“A gallery, covered passage, or long architectural space.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
galerie
“A gallery, corridor, or covered architectural walkway.”
16th Century
Italian
galleria
“A gallery or covered passage, especially an architectural one.”
19th–20th Century
English
galleria
“An Italian-style gallery or arcade, later especially a large shopping complex.”