"pretty" in seven languages

Meaningpretty

Spanish

bonito

/boˈnito/

other source · probably bueno (Latin BONUM) + diminutive -ito

French

joli

/ʒɔli/

other source · Old French jolif 'merry', origin uncertain

Italian

carino

/kaˈrino/

other source · caro 'dear' (Latin CĀRUM) + diminutive -ino

Portuguese

bonito

/boˈnitu/

other source · probably bom 'good' (Latin BONUM) + diminutive -ito, as in Spanish

Romanian

drăguț

/drəˈɡuts/

other source · Romanian drag 'dear' (from Slavic) + diminutive -uț

Catalan

bonic

/buˈnik/

other source · Catalan bo 'good' (Latin BONUM) + diminutive -ic

Colloquially also maco.

English

pretty

/ˈpɹɪti/

native English · Old English prættig 'cunning, crafty'

English → ItalianprettycarinoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share

The story

Spanish 'a little good', Italian 'a little dear', French 'merry': three affectionate words. English pretty once meant 'crafty'.