dolce vita

American  

[dawl-che vee-tah, dohl-chey vee-tuh] / ˈdɔl tʃɛ ˈvi tɑ, ˈdoʊl tʃeɪ ˈvi tə /

noun

Italian.

1. sweet life; the good life perceived as one of physical pleasure and self-indulgence (usually preceded byla ).

---

dolce vita British  

/ ˈdɒltʃɪ ˈviːtə, ˈdoltʃe ˈvita /

noun

1. a life of luxury

---

Etymology

Origin of dolce vita

Italian, literally: sweet life

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dolce vita

So go ahead, enjoy a little dolce vita as a treat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

More and more Italians were able to participate in the leisure economy, and dictates of the dolce vita were often drawn from perceptions of American lifestyles.

From Salon ● Feb. 6, 2022

Rome’s dolce vita period tends to be misremembered as a glitteringly hedonistic time, but they were also very lean years: “You know what the dolce vita was about? Cheap help,” Pepper says dryly.

From New York Times ● Sep. 10, 2019

ROME—Trash cans in Rome’s historic center overflowed this week as collectors staged a 24-hour strike, leaving locals and tourists who came for the Colosseum and la dolce vita zig-zagging to avoid smelly heaps of garbage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2016

Rome might be la dolce vita of vespas, but Turin is the headquarters of such dashing rides as Fiat and Alfa Romeo.

From Washington Post