Italian Word of the Day: Poltrona (armchair)

Poltrona is the word for a large and comfortable seat, equipped with backrest and armrests. It derives from the archaic word poltro meaning bed. In English, the most common translation is armchair. Poltrona is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: la poltronathe armchair una poltronaan armchair le poltronethe armchairs …

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Italian Word of the Day: Divano (couch / sofa)

cover image with the word “divano” and a a young girl sitting on the couch and listening to music in the background

Today’s word of the day is an indispensable piece of furniture found in most homes: the humble divano (couch, sofa, settee). It is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: il divanothe couchun divanoa couch i divanithe couchesdei divani(some) couches Alice si sta rilassando sul divano, sorseggiando una tazza di …

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Italian Word of the Day: Lampada (lamp)

cover image with the word “lampada” and a bedside table lamp in the background

A word that should be very easy for English speakers to remember is lampada, which means lamp in Italian. Its origin can be traced back to the Latin lampas -ădis, which in turn comes from the Greek lampás -ádos, a derivative of lámpō meaning ‘to shine’. Lampada is a feminine noun, so it takes the …

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Italian Word of the Day: Dentifricio (toothpaste)

The word for toothpaste in Italian is dentifricio. It comes from the Latin dentifricium, the compilation of dens dentis “tooth” and the verb fricare “to rub”. Dentifricio is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: il dentifriciothe toothpaste un dentifricioa toothpaste i dentifricithe toothpastes dei dentifrici(some) toothpastes Some different kinds …

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Italian Word of the Day: Forchetta (fork)

The word for fork in Italian is forchetta. It is the diminutive form of the word forca (pitchfork), which comes from the Latin furca. Here are the definite and indefinite articles that must be used with this feminine noun: la forchettathe fork una forchettaa fork le forchettethe forks delle forchette(some) forks A few different kinds …

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Italian Word of the Day: Cucchiaio (spoon)

The word for spoon in Italian is cucchiaio. Its origin can be traced back to the Latin cochlearium, a derivative of cochlea, which was the tool originally used to eat snails! Here are the definite and indefinite articles that accompany this masculine noun: il cucchiaiothe spoon un cucchiaioa spoon i cucchiaithe spoons dei cucchiai(some) spoons …

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