Italian

1 of 2

noun

Ital·​ian ə-ˈtal-yən How to pronounce Italian (audio)
i-,
also
ˌī- How to pronounce Italian (audio)
1
a
: a native or inhabitant of Italy
b
: a person of Italian descent
2
: the Romance language of the Italians

Italian

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Italy, the Italians, or Italian

Examples of Italian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
More:Andiamo Pasta & Chops to replace Partridge Creek’s old Brio Italian Grille Detroit Wing Co. specializes in fresh, natural, bone-in and boneless chicken wings. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024 Palm trees, Russian Olive and Italian Cypress trees, reflective of the desert landscape, surrounded the building. Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024 Santa Monica Italian, French and Moroccan restaurant Massilia will also open a branch on Grand Avenue this year, and other tenants will be announced in 2024, Related said. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024 Most recently, Tony Monaco, the restaurateur behind such Orange County spots as the Blind Pig and the Trough, announced plans to open Monaco Italian Kitchen inside Centerview. Brock Keeling, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024 Burnt End’s Crown Center spot opened in 2020, replacing Milano Italian Dining. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024 The network went ahead with the show but not before making George—and his echt Jewish father, played by Jerry Stiller—Italian. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024 This opera is sung in Italian with English captions. The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024 This is why the emails, though originally written in English, were in Italian. Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Canal also recommends the buzzy on-site restaurant Locanda Verde, which serves up Italian staples like homemade pasta. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2024 From an urban chic style to looks for the day and summer nights, the classic codes are rethought in order to emphasize the creative dynamism of the founder of the brand in an event that saw fashion and art celebrated in the Italian capital. Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024 The film is a dual narrative involving the life and work of Italian philosopher Dante Alighieri. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024 So we got inspired by big screen divas like Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Sylva Koscina, Italian stars of the ’60s. Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024 As a child in Havana before Castro’s takeover, his mother’s friend – an Italian woman named Franca – began playing guitar at their house, piquing his interest in playing the instrument. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024 The Italian fashion house has been making thousand-dollar garments out of vicuña wool for three decades, but congressman Robert Garcia believes local workers are being exploited in the process. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024 Neon backed the movie, which follows Sweeney as an American nun who joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024 On Saturday, the duo was spotted hand-in-hand while leaving a Broadway performance of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre — just one night after their Italian dinner outing at Cucina Alba. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Italian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Italian was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Italian

Cite this Entry

“Italian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Italian. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Italian

noun
Ital·​ian
ə-ˈtal-yən,
i-
1
a
: a person born or living in Italy
b
: a person of Italian ancestry
2
: the Romance language of the Italians
Italian adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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