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nounnounadjective

il magro

thin

Che ha poco grasso sul corpo o in un cibo.

Definition & meaning

Magro means thin or slim, especially when describing a person or animal with little body fat. Depending on context, it can be neutral, positive, or suggest being too thin.

It can also mean:

  • Lean, for food with little fat.
  • Poor, meagre, or disappointing, for a result, income, or reward.
  • Lean or unproductive, for land or a period of scarcity.

Grammar & Word origin

Magro is an adjective. It agrees in gender and number with the noun: masculine singular magro, feminine singular magra, masculine plural magri, and feminine plural magre.

It comes from Latin macer, meaning “thin” or “lean.”

Synonyms & antonyms

  • snello — “slim” or “slender”; usually complimentary and suggests an attractive figure.
  • esile — “slender” or “slight”; emphasizes a delicate build.
  • scarso — “scant” or “poor”; similar when describing a disappointing quantity or result.
  • grasso — “fat”; the main opposite when describing a person, animal, or food.
  • abbondante — “abundant”; an opposite when describing a meagre quantity or yield.

Common phrases & collocations

  • carne magra — lean meat.
  • magro come un chiodo — as thin as a rail.
  • magro risultato — a meagre or disappointing result.
  • tempi magri — lean or hard times.

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Examples

Il gatto magro dorme sulla sedia.adjective

The thin cat sleeps on the chair.

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