Italian

1 of 2

noun

Ital·​ian ə-ˈtal-yən 

i-,

also

ˌī- 

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

Price upon publish date of this article: $195 Quince Italian Pebbled Leather Phone Crossbody $49.90 Buy Now at Quince This best-selling bag from Quince brings an unexpected, luxe touch to your typical tech gear rotation. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025

The Barnaby Group, which owns and operates George's Italian Restaurant in Little Rock's Pulaski Heights and recently acquired the Town Pump in Little Rock's Riverdale neighborhood, is... Subscribe to continue reading, or log in. —Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 9 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Prayers were recited in various languages including Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and Arabic, a reflection of the church's global reach. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

Buffon is a former Italian soccer player, considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Italian

• anti-Italian
• Italian American
• Italian dressing
• Italian greyhound
• Italian parsley
• Italian sandwich
• Italian sonnet
• Upper Italian

Rhymes for Italian

• battalion
• medallion
• scallion
• stallion

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