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 …

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Italian Word of the Day: Miscela (mixture / blend)

Today’s word miscela means mixture or blend, or more specifically, a mix of two or more different substances whose particles are blended without undergoing any chemical reactions. This noun originates from the Latin adjective miscellus, meaning “mixed,” which is derived from the verb miscere, indicating the act of mixing. Because miscela is a feminine noun, …

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Italian Word of the Day: Scombussolare (to upset / to mess up)

Life is often full of unexpected twists and turns that can throw our plans into disarray and leave us feeling disoriented. Whether it’s a sudden change of circumstances, unforeseen obstacles, or a series of unpredictable events, these disruptions can leave us grappling with frustration. An Italian verb that is often used to describe this kind …

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Italian Word of the Day: Piumino (down / duvet)

Some Italian words encompass multiple meanings, extending far beyond their original definitions, and our word of the day piumino is no exception! Piumino is a derivative of piuma meaning feather. It is a masculine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Originally, piumino designated the down of birds, which is the layer of …

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Italian Word of the Day: Parola (word)

Have you ever pondered the significant role that words play in our society? Words are not mere symbols; they hold immense power, shaping our thoughts, emotions, and interactions. Without words, we’d be stripped of the powerful means to express our thoughts, convey complex emotions, share knowledge, and communicate with others. (Not to mention that we’d …

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Italian Word of the Day: Accozzaglia (jumble / rabble)

Accozzaglia is one of those wonderful words that, to my ears, sounds exactly like the meaning it is meant to convey. Denoting “a strange, messy and often unpleasant assortment of things or people”, there are numerous translations we can fall back on including jumble, mix, mishmash or hodgepodge (when talking about things) or rabble and …

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