sciocche

Sciocche is the feminine plural form of the Italian adjective sciocca, meaning foolish or silly. It can also function as a feminine noun describing a foolish person; the masculine equivalents are sciocco (sing.) and sciocchi (pl.). When used as an adjective, sciocche modifies feminine plural nouns, as in idee sciocche (silly ideas) or persone sciocche (silly people).

Etymology: The term derives from Old Italian and belongs to a broader Romance-language family connected with notions of lack of sense or seriousness. It has appeared in Italian texts since the medieval period and remains common in everyday speech. Related forms include sciocco (masc.), sciocca (fem.), and sciocchezze (nonsense).

Usage and nuance: In contemporary Italian, sciocca and sciocche are generally informal and can be mildly humorous or pejorative depending on context and tone. Calling someone una sciocca can be insulting, whereas referring to ideas as sciocche is a standard critique of irrational thinking. The noun sense is less frequent in formal writing.

Cultural and regional notes: The word is widely understood across Italy and is common in conversation, literature, and media, where it typically signals light-hearted reproach rather than severe insult. Its strength varies with region and register.

See also: Sciocco, Sciocchezza, Sciocchezze.