Italian: Vecchio (pronounced as /it/; : Italian: vecchi; meaning 'old one' or simply 'old') is a category of aged, male characters from Italian Italian: [[commedia dell'arte]] theatre. The primary members of this group are it|[[Pantalone]], it|[[Il Dottore]],[1] and it|[[Il Capitano]].[2] it|Pantalone and it|Il Dottore are the alter ego of each other: it|Pantalone being the decadent wealthy merchant, and it|Il Dottore being the decadent erudite.
They are overwhelmingly the antagonists, opposing the love of the Italian: [[innamorati]]; the comic ending is produced when the Zanni manage to overcome them and unite the lovers.
Vecchio is the Italian word for 'old' (as used in it|[[Ponte Vecchio]], meaning 'old bridge').