Meneghino

thumb|Satirical print after the Five Days of Milan: [[Meneghino pulls the necks of the Habsburg double-headed eagle, exclaiming, "You're done pecking at us, queen of the turkeys."]] thumb|right|230px|Meneghino and Cecca, pin from the Carnevale Ambrosiano of 1885 Meneghino (; Milanese: ) is a traditional character of the Italian ''commedia dell'arte, associated to the city of Milan. As such, it also plays a major role in the Milanese celebrations of Carnival (Carnevale Ambrosiano) and in local marionette traditional shows.

It is uncertain whether his name is just a diminutive form of Domenico or a reference to the domenighini'', a word used in Milan to refer to the servants that accompanied the faithful to masses on Sundays ( in Italian and in Milanese). Meneghino is in fact a witty servant (and thus a variation on the theme of the Zanni character), but he is mostly characterized by honesty, sincerity and a strong sense of justice. He is usually represented as wearing a cocked three-cornered hat, a pony-tailed wig, short green pants, red-white striped stockings, black shoes with buckles, a white shirt, a yellow or otherwise colorful flowered vest, a long jacket, and an umbrella. Meneghino's sincerity is also symbolized by the fact that, unlike most ''commedia dell'arte'' characters, he doesn't wear a mask. While originally a servant, Meneghino has actually taken on different roles on stages, including that of the master, the peasant, and the merchant. In Carnival parades, he is often accompanied by his wife Cecca (Milanese diminutive of Francesca).