Meaning & use
Italian contessa
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Meaning
nouncountable
A woman from Italy who holds the noble rank of countess, or the wife of an Italian count.
Grammar: Countable; use 'an' before a vowel sound: an Italian contessa. Capitalize 'Italian' because it is a nationality adjective.
The Italian contessa hosted a lavish dinner in her villa near Florence.
He inherited the title of count, and his wife became an Italian contessa.
In the novel, an Italian contessa helps the hero escape from prison.
Word forms
| plural | Italian contessas |
|---|
Common combinations
- an Italian contessa
- She was introduced to an Italian contessa at the embassy ball.
- the Italian contessa's villa
- They spent the summer at the Italian contessa's villa in Tuscany.
- a young Italian contessa
- A young Italian contessa caught the prince's eye.
Synonyms and how they differ
- countess
- This is the general English word for the rank; 'Italian contessa' specifies the nationality, while 'countess' could be from any country.
- noblewoman
- This is a broader term for any woman of high social rank; 'Italian contessa' is a specific title with a country attached.
Word family
- conte noun
- The Italian word for a count, the male equivalent of contessa.
- contessina noun
- An Italian term for the daughter of a count or countess, sometimes used as a title.
Commonly confused: Italian contessa or contessa?
Italian contessa vs contessa
This is the Italian word alone; in English, people often say 'Italian contessa' to make the nationality clear, but 'contessa' can also be used by itself in English texts about Italy.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Italian contessa' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase 'from a long line of nobles' correctly shows origin or descent. 'Of' is not used in this way, 'with' would suggest accompaniment rather than ancestry, and 'at' is wrong because it indicates location, not family background.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Italian contessa”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.