cicisbeo

[ chee-chiz-bey-oh or, older use, si-sis-bee-oh; Italian chee-cheez-be-oh ]
/ ˌtʃi tʃɪzˈbeɪ oʊ or, older use, sɪˈsɪs biˌoʊ; Italian ˌtʃi tʃizˈbɛ oʊ /

noun, plural ci·cis·be·i [chee-chiz-bey-ee or, older use, si-sis-bee-ee; Italian chee-cheez-be-ee] /ˌtʃi tʃɪzˈbeɪ i or, older use, sɪˈsɪs biˌi; Italian ˌtʃi tʃizˈbɛ i/. (esp. in Italy during the 17th and 18th centuries)

an escort or lover of a married woman.

Origin of cicisbeo

From Italian

Example sentences from the Web for cicisbeo

British Dictionary definitions for cicisbeo

cicisbeo
/ Italian (tʃitʃizˈbɛːo) /

noun plural -bei (-ˈbɛːi)

the escort or lover of a married woman, esp in 18th-century Italy

Word Origin for cicisbeo

C18: Italian, of uncertain origin