Meaning & use
inferriata
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnicalrare
A decorative iron grille or set of bars fitted over a window or opening, especially in old European buildings.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an inferriata' or 'several inferriate' (the Italian plural).
Patterns
- an iron inferriata
- behind the inferriata
The palace windows were covered with a heavy inferriata.
Visitors can still see the original inferriata on the ground-floor openings.
A rusted inferriata protected the small chapel window.
Word forms
| plural (Italian) | inferriate |
|---|
Common combinations
- iron inferriata
- An iron inferriata covered every window of the old villa.
- decorative inferriata
- The architect added a decorative inferriata above the doorway.
- behind an inferriata
- The statue stood behind an inferriata in the courtyard.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grille
- 'Grille' is the everyday English word for any metal bars over an opening, while 'inferriata' is a rare, specifically Italian-style term.
- ironwork
- 'Ironwork' refers to the craft or the metal objects themselves, not specifically to a window grille.
Word family
- inferriate noun
- The Italian plural form, sometimes used in English writing about several such grilles.
Commonly confused: inferriata or infrastructure?
inferriata vs infrastructure
'Infrastructure' means basic systems like roads and power supplies; it sounds slightly similar but has nothing to do with window bars.
Practice
What is an inferriata?
Choose one answer.
An inferriata is a decorative iron grille or set of bars, typically over a window in old European buildings. The other options are unrelated objects.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “inferriata”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.