Etymology

piñata

Today it means: A doll or other decorated container that is filled with candy and hit with a hammer or a stick by blindfolded children during birthday parties or other celebrations until the candy falls out. Full definition →

Spanish piñata ← Italian pignatta ← Latin pīnea
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*poi-?
  2. Proto-Italic*pīnos
  3. Latinpīnus
  4. Latinpīnea
  5. Italianpigna
  6. Italianpignatta
  7. Spanishpiñata
  8. English todaypiñata

Unadapted borrowing from Mexican Spanish piñata, from piña (“pinecone”), from Latin pinea, because its paper cover (on traditional making) resembles one. Alternatively from Spanish via Italian pignatta (“clay pot”), from a Chinese custom allegedly introduced by Marco Polo.

Words from the same roots

Latinpinea all →

pineal

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.