The word ghetto originated from a Venetian iron foundry compound

Evidence

The term “ghetto” derives from the Venetian word for iron foundry. In 1516 a decree of the Venetian Senate had ordered all Jews to move their residence to the area of the new foundry, the ghetto nuovo, to which they would be confined at night. The Venetians had already given the Germans a compound in which they had to reside but from which they could trade. In 1573 the Turks applied to the Venetian authorities for an area similar to the Jewish ghetto and in 1621 their request was finally granted. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2373

Categorization

• DEFINE: Gives the etymology of ‘ghetto’ from Venetian for iron foundry, with the founding 1516 decree.
• CANDY: A light, surprising etymological tidbit — the word for urban segregation comes from ‘iron foundry’.