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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The customers are Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, who will act as pilot. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024 Federico Guerrini is an experienced freelance journalist who covers technology in both English and Italian. Federico Guerrini, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
In 1989, the Washington Post reported that a single room was fitted with 125,000 Italian marble tiles at a cost of $85 per tile. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 9 Dec. 2024 La Minerva’s rooms and suites — which range from 25 to 235 square meters (269 to 2,530 square feet) in size — all feature king size beds, marble bathrooms with walk-in showers and luxurious Italian linens. Julianna Bragg, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Italian 

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 22 Dec. 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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