Definition:Witch of Agnesi/Linguistic Note

Linguistic Note on Witch of Agnesi
The witch of Agnesi was originally named the versorio by, from the Italian vertere (to turn: the term comes from the rope used to turn a sail).

confused the word with versiera, from avversiera, which means witch or she-devil (from the same root as the word adversary, an archaic soubriquet for Satan).

I has been suggested that the initial misnaming may have been mischievous.

When referred to in other languages, the term witch is not seen, and the less colorful term curve of Agnesi is usually used instead.

Note the name Agnesi is Italian: its pronunciation is something like an-ye-zi, and never in the apparently obvious way ag-nee-zee.