sciocca

Sciocca is an Italian word that functions primarily as the feminine singular form of the adjective sciocco, meaning foolish, silly, or absurd. Pronounced roughly as "SHOK-kah" in standard Italian, it can be used adjectivally (una decisione sciocca, "a foolish decision") or substantively to refer to a woman regarded as foolish.

Beyond its basic sense of foolishness, sciocco/sciocca has historic and regional uses. In some contexts it has been applied to foods described as unsalted or bland, reflecting older culinary vocabulary in which "sciocco" contrasted with seasoned or salted items. The word can carry varying degrees of severity, from gentle teasing to pejorative insult, depending on tone and context.

Sciocca also appears as an Italian surname. As a family name, it is found in Italy and among Italian diaspora communities, with local concentrations varying by region. Individuals and businesses bearing the name may be encountered in cultural, commercial, and genealogical records.

In literature and everyday speech, sciocca retains a common place as a concise way to criticize choices, behaviors, or remarks considered lacking in sense or judgment. Related forms include the masculine sciocco, the plural sciocchi/sciocche, and derived nouns and idioms that reflect its usage in idiomatic Italian.