nounnounadjective
il maiale
pig
Animale da fattoria dal corpo robusto, con pelle rosa o nera, spesso allevato per la carne e altri prodotti alimentari.
Definition & meaning
Maiale means pig, especially a domestic pig raised for meat. It can also refer to pork, the meat of the animal.
As an insult, it can describe someone who is dirty, greedy, or behaves in a lewd or offensive way.
Grammar & Word origin
Maiale is a masculine noun: il maiale (the pig); plural i maiali (the pigs).
It comes from Latin maialis, originally referring to a pig associated with the goddess Maia.
Synonyms & antonyms
- porco — “pig”; often more emphatic or insulting when used of a person.
- suino — “pig” or “swine”; a more technical term, often used in agriculture or food production.
- pulito — “clean”; an antonym only when maiale describes a dirty person.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Il maiale dorme nella fattoria.noun
The pig sleeps on the farm.
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