fighetto

Fighetto is an informal Italian adjective and noun used mostly in a slightly pejorative or teasing way. It refers to a person, usually a young man, who is considered pretentious, snobbish, or overly concerned with appearances and fashion. This person often tries to behave in a trendy or sophisticated way, sometimes in a way that seems affected or insincere.

Meaning and Usage

• As an adjective, "fighetto" describes something or someone as flashy, snobbish, or smug.
• As a noun, it refers to the person who behaves in this way—someone who shows off style or elegance in an overly affected or artificial manner.

Breakdown

• The root comes from figo (literally "cool," "good," or "sexy" in slang), combined with the diminutive suffix -etto, which often implies something smaller, cuter, or sometimes less authentic. So, "fighetto" suggests a "little cool guy," with an ironic or mocking tone.

Synonyms

• snob
• soffisticato (sophisticated, but often used with irony)
• mondano (worldly, socialite, sometimes used critically)
• vistoso (flashy, showy)

Antonyms

• naturale (natural, genuine)
• semplice (simple, unpretentious)
• modesto (modest)

Examples

• Mario è un fighetto, passa più tempo davanti allo specchio che a studiare.
  (Mario is a fighetto; he spends more time in front of the mirror than studying.)

• Non fare il fighetto, sii te stesso!
  (Don’t act like a fighetto, be yourself!)

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Note: The word is informal and may carry a somewhat judgmental, ironic, or teasing connotation depending on context, so use it carefully in conversation.