Italy

English

Etymology

    From Old English Italia, borrowed from Latin Italia, from Ancient Greek Ῑ̓ταλίᾱ (Ītalíā), possibly borrowed from Oscan 𐌅𐌝𐌕𐌄𐌋𐌉𐌞 (víteliú). Usually explained as a cognate of vitulus (calf), thus meaning "land of young bulls" in Oscan. In that case, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wet- (year). According to some ancient Greek authors, named after a king Italus or Italos, whose kingdom was on the peninsula.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈɪtəli/
      • (General American) IPA(key): [ˈɪ.ɾə.li]
      • (some American dialects) IPA(key): [ˈɪʔ.li]
      • (Standard Southern British) IPA(key): [ˈɪ.tə.lɪj]
      • (Ghanaian) IPA(key): [ˈi.tɐ.li]
      • (Ireland) IPA(key): [ˈɪθ̠əli]
        • (Local Dublin) IPA(key): [ˈɪhəli], [ˈɪʔəli]
      • Audio (US):(file)
      • Audio (UK):(file)
    • (Indic) IPA(key): /ɪˈʈæli/, /ɪˈʈaːli/

    Proper noun

    Italy

    1. A country in Southern Europe. Official names: Italian Republic and Republic of Italy. Capital and largest city: Rome.
      • 1868, E. S. G. S., Italy and her capital, page 170:
        Rome is the heart of Italy [...]. She was, is, and must ever be, her capital.
      • 19th century, Thomas Hodgkin, Italy and her invaders, title:
        Italy and her invaders
      • 2023 January 3, Ben Church, “How Christian Eriksen returned to football after suffering cardiac arrest on pitch”, in CNN[1]:
        Serie A club Inter Milan – whom Eriksen had been contracted to at the time of the incident – let the midfielder move abroad as he was unable to play in Italy unless the ICD device was removed.
    2. Synonym of Apennine Peninsula.

    Meronyms

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    • Japanese: イタリー (Itarī) (dated)
    • Telugu: ఇటలీ (iṭalī)
    • Thai: อิตาลี (ì-dtaa-lîi)
    • Yoruba: Ítálì

    Translations

    See also

    Anagrams