paesano

[ pahy-zon-oh ]

noun

, plural pae·sa·ni [pahy-, zon, -ee], pae·san·os [pahy-, zon, -ohz].

1. a person who shares one’s place of origin; a compatriot, especially among Italians or people of Italian descent.
2. a person associated with the Italian mafia; mafioso.

Word History and Origins

Origin of paesano¹

First recorded in 1930–35; from Italian; literally, “countryman, fellow countryman,” from Late Latin adjective and noun pāgēnsis “pertaining to the country or a country district; an inhabitant of the country”; pagan ( def ), peasant ( def )

Example Sentences

Time Out credited the "inexpensive Neapolitan pizzas and beer schooners" at Paesano as one of the highlights on the road.

From BBC

County School Superintendent Toni A. Paesano Shute did not return the newspaper’s call seeking comment.

From Washington Times

Located in the Italian Market in South Philly, Paesano’s hawks a sandwich called the Arista, a juicy tangle of slow-roasted pork in a Carangi roll.

From Washington Post

He moved to New York to pursue an acting career, appearing as the lead in the Off Broadway musical “Hi, Paesano!” and making his Broadway debut in 1961 with a small role in “The Happiest Girl in the World,” a musical directed by Cyril Ritchard, who also played multiple roles.

From New York Times

A visit to Fountainhead Wines and Distillations in Bedford Hills — where a wooden lawn chair and a grainy photo of a paesano cradling a handful of grapes suffice for décor — is both lark and tutorial.

From New York Times