Italian

[ih-tal-yuhn]

adjective

1. of or relating to Italy, its people, or their language.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Italy, or a person of Italian descent.

2. a Romance language, the language of Italy, official also in Switzerland. It, It., Ital.

Italian

/ ɪˈtæljən /

noun

1. the official language of Italy and one of the official languages of Switzerland: the native language of approximately 60 million people. It belongs to the Romance group of the Indo-European family, and there is a considerable diversity of dialects

2. a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Italy, or a descendant of one

3. See Italian vermouth

adjective

1. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of Italy, its inhabitants, or their language

Pronunciation Note

The pronunciation of Italian with an initial sound (pronounced like the word eye ) and often with level stress on the first and second syllables: is heard primarily from uneducated speakers. This pronunciation is sometimes facetious or disparaging in purpose and is usually considered offensive.

Other Word Forms

• Italianesque adjective
• anti-Italian adjective
• half-Italian adjective
• non-Italian adjective
• pro-Italian adjective
• pseudo-Italian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Italian¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word Italiānus. See Italy, -an

Example Sentences

I order the Classic Italian with prosciutto, ham, salami and provolone.

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Draghi, a former Italian prime minister, wants European industrial giants to pool investments in strategic sectors such as semiconductors to help the continent regain an edge.

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Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello might be the greatest of all Italian red wines, but they can be quite pricey, not to mention forbidding in their youth, requiring years if not decades to soften.

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The Italians almost equalised at the start of the second half as Nicolo Barella brought down a long ball brilliantly and then lofted the ball against the crossbar.

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The Mission is home to a number of restaurants that serve everything from Italian to Mexican fare, as well as Duane’s, a high-end steakhouse.

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