Cosa
|Co-sa|
🇺🇸
/ˈkoʊsə/
🇬🇧
/ˈkəʊsə/
thing; (formerly) cause/reason
Etymology
'Cosa' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'causa', where 'causa' meant 'cause, reason, case'.
'Cosa' changed from Latin 'causa' through Vulgar Latin and Old Romance developments (the diphthong 'au' tending to become 'o'), producing forms like Old Italian/Old Spanish 'cosa' and eventually the modern Romance word 'cosa'.
Initially it meant 'cause' or 'reason' (from Latin 'causa'), but over time in the Romance languages the sense shifted toward a more general 'thing' or 'object'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a word in Italian and Spanish meaning 'thing' or 'object'; sometimes used in English contexts as a loanword to evoke Italian/Spanish sense or flavor.
She kept every Cosa that reminded her of childhood.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the word 'cosa' appears as part of the phrase 'Cosa Nostra' (literally 'our thing'), referring to the Sicilian/Italian Mafia organization.
Rumors linked him to Cosa Nostra activities in the region.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/30 19:49