la collina
hill
È una piccola elevazione del terreno, più bassa di una montagna, con pendii dolci e arrotondati.
Definition & meaning
Collina is an Italian feminine noun meaning hill: a natural elevation of land that is generally lower and less steep than a mountain.
It can also refer collectively to a hilly area or countryside, especially in contrast with the coast, city, or flatlands.
- La casa è su una collina. — “The house is on a hill.”
- Vivono in collina. — “They live in the hills / hilly countryside.”
Grammar & Word origin
The word comes from Late Latin collīna, meaning “hilly” or “related to a hill,” derived from collis, “hill.”
The related adjective is collinare , meaning “hilly” or “of the hills.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- colle — hill; often very close in meaning to collina, though it can sound more literary or geographical.
- altura — elevation or high ground; more general and sometimes more formal.
- poggio — knoll or small hill, often used in place names and literary contexts.
- dosso — mound, ridge, or rounded elevation; usually suggests a smaller or more rounded landform.
Antonyms and contrasts
- pianura — plain or flatland; the clearest geographical contrast.
- piano — flat ground or level terrain.
- valle — valley; not a strict antonym, but a contrasting landform.
Montagna means “mountain.” It is not an antonym, but it contrasts with collina because a mountain is generally higher and steeper.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Saliamo sulla collina per vedere il paesaggio.noun
We go up the hill to see the landscape.
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