noun
-
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
-
a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Italy, or a descendant of one
-
See Italian vermouth
adjective
Pronunciation
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
Etymology
Origin of Italian
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word Italiānus. See Italy, -an
Compare meaning
How does italian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She would tell me about where her family came from, the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and its complex history, rooted in years of Italian occupation and Art Deco infrastructure.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
The win gives the 24-year-old Italian his third Masters 1000 title of the year having already triumphed at Indian Wells and Miami, and extends his winning run in Masters series events to 22 matches.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
A hotly anticipated performance from Italian DJ Anyma was canceled, with organizers blaming strong winds that threatened the safety of stage structures.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
The company’s future was very much in doubt when it found a savior in Enzo’s one-time protégé, Luca di Montezemolo, a blue-eyed Italian aristocrat with the steady hand to pull off a U-turn at Ferrari.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
In Perugia’s notebooks, the authorities found a list of potential buyers, and many weren’t Italian.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.