il marrone

Definition & meaning

1. Brown: the color of chocolate, earth, or chestnuts.
2. Chestnut: a large, cultivated chestnut, especially the fruit of a variety prized for eating.
3. In informal language, marroni can mean “testicles” or, figuratively, something annoying or tiresome.

Grammar & Word origin

As an adjective, marrone is usually invariable: una giacca marrone, due giacche marrone. It can also have the plural marroni, especially when referring to shades or items of clothing.

As a noun, it is masculine: il marrone, plural i marroni.

The color name comes from the noun for a large chestnut, which entered Italian through French marron.

Synonyms & antonyms

• castano ↗ — “brown,” used especially for hair, eyes, and chestnuts rather than for brown objects generally.
• bruno ↗ — “dark brown” or “dark”; often more literary than marrone.
• castagna ↗ — “chestnut” in general; marrone refers to a particular large, cultivated kind.

There is no single standard antonym for the color brown.

Common phrases & collocations

• marrone scuro ↗ — dark brown.
• marrone chiaro ↗ — light brown.
• marrone glacé ↗ — a candied chestnut.
• che marroni ↗ — an informal, mildly vulgar expression meaning “what a bore!” or “how annoying!”