Boccie

/ˈbɒtʃi/ noun

Definition

A common English spelling variant of bocce, the Italian ball game, particularly favored in American English.

Etymology

Modified spelling of Italian 'boccia', with the -ie ending added in English to approximate the Italian pronunciation more phonetically for English readers.

Kelly Says

American-Italian communities standardized 'boccie' while other English speakers preferred 'bocce'—it's a snapshot of how immigration waves shaped American English vocabulary.

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