adj
Sicilian
sih-SIH-leern
adj
1
From or relating to Sicily, the large Italian island off the toe of Italy.
"She cooked a rich Sicilian pasta dish with sardines and fennel."
"The film was shot in a small Sicilian fishing village."
noun
1
A person from Sicily.
"His grandparents were Sicilians who emigrated to New York in the 1950s."
2
In chess, any opening that begins 1.e4 c5, one of the most popular replies to the king's pawn opening.
"She always meets 1.e4 with the Sicilian to fight for an early advantage."
How to Use Sicilian
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to the island of Sicily or its people — or, in chess, a well-known opening defence.
Common pairings
Sicilian cuisine
Sicilian Defence
a Sicilian accent
Word Forms
Sicilians plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “Sicilian”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She cooked a rich _____ pasta dish with sardines and fennel.
Etymology
From Latin Sicilia (Sicily) plus the adjective ending "-an".