Altered names are names in which, through certain suffixes, the meaning of the base word is modified by taking on a special connotative value (“bigger”, “smaller”, “uglier”, “prettier”).
Unlike what happens with derived names, the meaning of altered names is not completely different from that of the original word.
1. Altered nouns can give the noun meaning of bigger by adding the suffix (-one/-ona):
- Librone (big book).
- Portone (big door).
- Casona (big house).
- Ragazzone (big guy).
- Omone (big man).
- Donnone (big woman).
2. Altered nouns can give the noun meaning of smaller by adding the suffix (-ino/-ina)(-tino/-tina)(-ic(c)ino/-ic(c)ina)(-olino/-olina):
- Librino (little book).
- Libriccino (little book).
- Gattino (Kitten).
- Pesciolino (Little fish).
- Pensioncina (Little guest house).
- Casina (little house).
- Donnina (little woman).
3. Altered nouns can give the noun meaning of prettier or cute by adding the suffix (-etto/-etta) (-elio/-elia)(-icello/-icella)(-uccio/-uccia) etc:
- Casetta (cute little house).
- Navicella (cute little ship).
- Cavalluccio (cute little horse).
- Campicello (cute little camp).
- Libretto (Booklet).
4. Altered nouns can give the noun meaning of uglier/ bad or little importance by adding the suffix (-accio/-accia) (-astro/-astra)(-onzolo)(-iciattolo/-iciattola)(-ucolo/-ucola):
- Ragazzaccio (Bad boy).
- Donnaccia (Bad women).
- Poetastro (Poet of very little value).
- Fiumiciattolo (Little river).
- Verdastro (Greenish).
- Sorellastra (Stepsister).
- Omaccio (Vulgar or trivial man).
- Donnucola (Woman of no merit).
- Febbriciattola (low-grade fever).