signore

[ sin-yawr-ey, -yohr-ey; Italian see-nyaw-re ]

/ sɪnˈyɔr eɪ, -ˈyoʊr eɪ; Italian siˈnyɔ rɛ /

noun, plural si·gno·ri [sin-yawr-ee, -yohr-ee; Italian see-nyaw-ree] /sɪnˈyɔr i, -ˈyoʊr i; Italian siˈnyɔ ri/.

a conventional Italian title of respect for a man, usually used separately; signor.

RELATED WORDS

madame, dame, madonna, Frau

Nearby words

signing, signior, signiory, signor, signora, signore, signorelli, signorelli, luca, signoret, signorina, signorino

Origin of signore

1585–95; < Italian < Latin senior; see senior

Definition for signore (2 of 3)

signore

[ sin-yawr-ey, -yohr-ey; Italian see-nyaw-re ]

/ sɪnˈyɔr eɪ, -ˈyoʊr eɪ; Italian siˈnyɔ rɛ /

noun

a plural of signora.

Definition for signore (3 of 3)

signora

[ sin-yawr-uh, -yohr-uh; Italian see-nyaw-rah ]

/ sɪnˈyɔr ə, -ˈyoʊr ə; Italian siˈnyɔ rɑ /

noun, plural si·gno·ras, Italian si·gno·re [see-nyaw-re] /siˈnyɔ rɛ/.

a conventional Italian term of address or title of respect for a married woman, either used separately or prefixed to the name.

Origin of signora

1630–40; < Italian; feminine of signore signore¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for signore

Beppo was a very different man from Signore Ripollo, nor had he a palace with a water-gate to show his wares.
My Friend the Chauffeur|C. N. Williamson and A. M. Williamson
She looked at me from head to foot, and then, almost angrily—“Yes, Signore.”
The Diary of a Man of Fifty|Henry James
"Signore Giovanni," she exclaimed wonderingly but without the slightest trace of the emotion which had so recently agitated her.
Ilka on the Hill-Top and Other Stories|Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen
It illustrates the well-known use of the word Signore for mistress in Florentine poetry.
Sketches and Studies in Italy and Greece, Second Series|John Addington Symonds

But as for that, signore, if you have no axes nor hedging knives, we have them.
Corleone|F. Marion Crawford

British Dictionary definitions for signore (1 of 2)

signore

/ (siːnˈjɔːriː, Italian siɲˈɲore) /

noun plural -ri (-rɪ, Italian -ri)

an Italian man: a title of respect equivalent to sir

Word Origin for signore

Italian, ultimately from Latin senior an elder, from senex an old man

British Dictionary definitions for signore (2 of 2)

signora

/ (siːnˈjɔːrə, Italian siɲˈɲora) /

noun plural -ras or -re (Italian -re)

a married Italian woman: a title of address equivalent to Mrs when placed before a name or madam when used alone

Word Origin for signora

Italian, feminine of signore

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012