Derived regressively from the verb scalzare, or possibly from a Vulgar Latin root *excalceus, itself either from a shortening of Latin excalceatus, or from ex- + calceus. Compare Neapolitan scauzo, Sicilian scàusu, Corsican scalzu; cf. also Spanish descalzo, Portuguese descalço, Catalan descalç, French déchaux, Friulian discolç, Romanian desculț, Ladin deschëuz, from a related Vulgar Latin root.