Italian Word of the Day: Asciugacapelli (hairdryer)

The word for a hairdryer in Italian is asciugacapelli. Just like the English term, it is the combination of the verb asciugare (to dry) and capelli (hair).

/a·sciu·ga·ca·pél·li/
italian word asciugacapelli

Asciugacapelli is a masculine noun and is invariable, which means that its plural form is the same as its singular form.

l’asciugacapelli
un asciugacapelli

gli asciugacapelli
degli asciugacapelli

L’asciugacapelli ha cominciato a emanare uno strano odore di bruciato.

The hairdryer has started to give off a strange burning smell.


Beautiful girl using a hair dryer and smiling while looking at the mirror.

What’s interesting to note is that the hairdryer commonly goes by another name in colloquial Italian: fon (frequently spelled incorrectly as phon). It derives from the German Föhn, a warm wind that forms in the Alps. In Piemonte, you will hear the German term used to refer to this particular kind of wind.

Non trovo più il fon. L’hai visto da qualche parte?

I can’t find the hairdryer. Have you seen it anywhere?



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