Italian

American  

[ih-tal-yuhn] / ɪˈtæl yən /

adjective

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

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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 British  

/ 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

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adjective

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

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:

• Italian vs. English sonnet

Example Sentences

European insurers are largely insulated from the jitters in the private-credit market that are prompting scrutiny in the U.S., a top executive at Italian insurer Assicurazioni Generali said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

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

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

She used to do the accounting for an Italian bakery and is thinking about going back to that, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

On the painting’s last night there—possibly the last night it will ever spend on Italian soil—the exhibition stayed open until midnight.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day