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Meaning & History
Meaning unknown, but several theories have been proposed for its etymology. One such theory is that it is derived from Latin caligante meaning "fading, growing dim". In turn, the word is ultimately derived from the Latin verb caligo meaning "to steam, to darken". The latter word can also be a noun in Latin, in which case it means "fog, mist, vapor" as well as "darkness, gloom".Other theories suggest that the name is a composition of Italian calore logorante meaning "intense heat", or that it is a play on Caltagirone, the name of a town in Sicily. The town derives its name from Arabic qal'at al ghiran (also gharun and jirar), which has been said to mean "castle of jars", "rock of jars" and "hill of vases".Lastly, it is possible that this name has some connection to Calogero or Calogrenant.In literature, Caligorante is the name of a giant from canto XV (15) of the 16th-century epic poem Orlando furioso written by the Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533). He was captured and enslaved by the knight Astolfo, who promptly paraded him around in every city they came across.