Chiefly pl. Forms: sing. 9 laz(z)arone; pl. 8 lazaroni, 9 lazzaroni. [It. lazzarone, augmentative form of lazzaro (Florio) LAZAR.] One of the lowest class at Naples, who lounge about the streets, living by odd jobs, or by begging.
1792. Charlotte Smith, Desmond, II. 121. What wretched and dangerous doctrine to disseminate among the lazzaroni of England. [Note] Lazzaroni, a word descriptive of people reduced to the utmost poverty and wretchedness.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 439. [Naples.] About 30000 lazaroni, or black guards.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, ix. A few fishermen and lazzaroni only were loitering along the strand.
1832. G. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. 454. The Italian vetturini, a kind of peregrinating lazzaroni, never let slip any opportunity of paying homage to the goddess Vacuna.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, xvii. Neither are picturesque lazzaroni or romantic criminals half so frequent as your common labourer.
1878. H. M. Stanley, Dark Cont., II. iii. 74. The most ragged British beggar or Neapolitan lazzarone.
attrib. 1822. J. Flint, Lett. Amer., 34. Lazzaroni hucksters of fruit and sweetmeats.
1875. J. H. Bennet, Winter Medit., I. iii. 77. Lazarone enjoyment in midwinter of sunshine, air, and scenery.
