dolce

adjective or adverb

dol·​ce ˈdōl-(ˌ)chā How to pronounce dolce (audio)
: soft, smooth
used as a direction in music

Examples of dolce in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Instead of the dolce far niente ambiance found in many Italian coastal resorts, the attitude here seems to be dolce far qualcosa, and the more active the better. Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 His 12-track album is a dolce, melancholic jaunt with idiosyncratic moments that might too inspire one to reflect on the ordinary pleasures of life. Leila Cobo, Billboard, 21 June 2023 Instead of the dolce far niente ambiance found in many Italian coastal resorts, the attitude here seems to be dolce far qualcosa, and the more active the better. Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 But your summer vita might get a bit less dolce from 2024, when new rules are set to come into force that some in the know are warning could change the fabric of Italy's seaside. Julia Buckley, CNN, 23 July 2022 As the name implies, everything from thank you notes to menus are adorned with dolce-vita lemons and greenery. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 26 Jan. 2022 Made from the label's signature soft dolce Italian leather, the Mini Doctor Bag is essentially identical to the original, just shrunken down in size. Alex Warner, PEOPLE.com, 13 Aug. 2021

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

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, sweet, from Latin dulcis — more at dulcet

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dolce was circa 1847

Dictionary Entries Near dolce

Cite this Entry

“Dolce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dolce. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!