Italian Word of the Day: Carponi (on all fours)

The adverb carponi (also written as a carponi or the less common carpone) is how you would say on all fours or on one’s hands and knees in Italian. It is probably connected with the Latin carpere which means to swipe or to pilfer. (a) carponi on all fours Some common verbs you’ll see used …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Occhiolino (wink)

The act of quickly closing and opening one’s eye while leaving the other eye open is known as an occhiolino in Italian or wink in English. It is usually performed in such a way that only the recipient notices it. occhiolino wink Occhiolino is a masculine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Lacrima (tear)

Have you ever wondered what the word is in Italian for the liquid our eyes produce when we cry? The answer is lacrima, which should be fairly easy to remember if you are already familiar with the English term lachrymal, an adjective that means “related to weeping or tears.” lacrima tear The plural of lacrima …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Baffo (whisker / moustache)

When I first met my husband, he had a distinctive moustache and goatee, but since we had our son, he’s chosen to go clean-shaven. Honestly, I can’t say which look I prefer! In Italian, the word for moustache (or mustache) is the plural form of baffo, which is baffi. Baffo on its own refers to …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Barba (beard)

Whether you love them or hate them, many men choose to grow a beard at some point in their lives. In Italian, the word for this type of peli del volto (facial hair) is barba. barba beard The word comes from the Latin barba of the same spelling and meaning. Barba is a feminine noun, …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Sopracciglio (eyebrow)

Sopracciglio is a masculine noun that means eyebrow. Modelled on the Latin supercilium, it is the combination of ciglio (eyelash) and sopra (meaning ‘above‘). Before we begin, it’s important to clarify that this word has two possible plurals: the feminine plural le sopracciglia, which indicates a single pair of eyebrows, and the masculine plural i …

Read more