Senno di poi is how you would say hindsight in Italian. As in English, it refers to the ability to evaluate or comprehend an event, but only after it has happened. Senno (masculine) means judgement / sense / wisdom, whereas poi is the word for then / later on / after, so the expression literally translates as after-wisdom. Col senno di poi, saremmo potuti rimanere un giorno in più. In … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Senno di poi (hindsight)
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Italian Word of the Day: Strofinaccio (rag / cloth / dish towel)
The word for any piece of cloth used for drying dishes or for household cleaning is strofinaccio (masculine, plural: strofinacci) in Italian. If we break it down into its component parts, we can see that it is composed of the verb strofinare (to rub) and the pejorative suffix -accio which denotes something bad or unattractive. Some examples of things that can be called strofinaccio in … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Strofinaccio (rag / cloth / dish towel)
Italian Word of the Day: Vigliacco (coward)
One way of saying coward in Italian is vigliacco (masculine, plural: vigliacchi). There is also the feminine version vigliacca and its plural vigliacche. For once, we have a word that doesn't derive directly from Latin but rather the Spanish bellaco meaning wicked or vile. It refers not only to those who, for lack of courage, flee from danger or tolerate harassment without reacting, but also … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Vigliacco (coward)
Italian Word of the Day: Bislacco (eccentric / weird)
Bislacco is one way of saying eccentric, weird or quirky in Italian. It is thought to derive from the Venetian bislaco, which in turn comes from the Slovene word bezjak meaning silly. It was a nickname given to the Venetians of Friuli and the Slavs of Istria. Because it is an adjective, the ending changes depending on the gender and/or plurality of the subject in question: bislacco = … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Bislacco (eccentric / weird)
Italian Word of the Day: Indietreggiare (to move backwards)
The Italian verb indietreggiare is formed from the adverb indietro meaning behind, back or backwards. You can use it to express a number of concepts that translate as to move backwards in English including: 1. to fall back / to retreat Indietreggiare, in the most literal sense of the word, refers to the withdrawal from enemy forces or dangerous situations. Some synonyms in Italian … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Indietreggiare (to move backwards)
Italian Word of the Day: Scarabocchio (blot / scribble)
In English, there are separate words for different kinds of careless marks made while writing or drawing. We have blot for a dark stain made by ink, scrawl for illegible handwriting, scribble for something written or drawn in a hurry, and doodle for a poorly drawn picture. In Italian, all these concepts can be expressed with one very handy word: scarabocchio (masculine, plural: … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Scarabocchio (blot / scribble)