lontano

Word: lontano

Meaning:
In Italian, "lontano" is an adjective and adverb that means "far", "distant", or "remote." It is used to describe something that is a long way away in space or time.

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As an adjective:

• Describes something that is far away geographically or emotionally.
• Example: Una casa lontana – A distant house.

As an adverb:

• It indicates that something is happening at a distance or a long way off.
• Example: Il treno arriva da lontano – The train arrives from far away.

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Parts of the word:

• "lontano" does not easily break down into smaller parts in modern Italian, but it derives from Latin longitanus, related to longus meaning "long."

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Synonyms:

• distante (distant)
• remoto (remote)
• fuori (outside, when used to indicate distance)
• allontanato (removed, but more commonly used in a figurative or physical sense)

Antonyms:

• vicino (near)
• immediato (immediate, close)
• prossimo (next, near)

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Extended meanings:

1. Temporal distance:
   "Lontano" can also express something that happened a long time ago.
   Example: Ricordo qualcosa lontano nel passato – I remember something far back in the past.

2. Emotional distance:
   It can describe emotional or relational distance between people.
   Example: Si è fatto lontano dai suoi amici – He became distant from his friends.

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In summary, "lontano" conveys the idea of physical, temporal, or emotional distance in Italian.