different between henchman vs sbirro

English

Etymology

From Middle English henxman (“page, attendant”), from Old English *hengstmann, *hengestmann (“groom”, literally “horseman”), from hengst, hengest (“stallion, horse, steed, gelding”) (from Proto-Germanic *hangistaz (“stallion”), from Proto-Indo-European *?an?est-, *kankest- (“horse”)) + mann (“man”). Cognate with archaic German Hengstmann (“a groom”), Icelandic hestamaður (“horseman, groom”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h?nt?.m?n/

Noun

henchman (plural henchmen)

1. A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:loyal follower

2. A person who supports a political figure chiefly out of selfish interests.
3. An assistant member of a criminal gang.
4. (obsolete) A page to a prince or other person of high rank.

Translations

English

Etymology

From Italian sbirro; compare French sbire.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spi?o?/

Noun

sbirro (plural sbirros or sbirri)

1. A policeman in Italy, Corsica, etc.
2. A ruffian or henchman.

Anagrams

• Borris

Italian

Etymology

From s- +? birro, the latter from Latin birrus (“hooded coat”), related to burrus (“reddish; red-headed”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?zbir.ro/

Noun

sbirro m (plural sbirri)

1. cop (policeman)

Derived terms

• sbirresco

Descendants

• ? English: sbirro
• ? Romanian: zbir

Anagrams

• sborri

Further reading

• sbirro in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana