abbellire

to beautify

verb ahb-bel-LEE-reh Rare

Origin: From 'ab-' + 'bello', beautiful, from Latin 'bellus'.

Also means

to embellish

Usage Note

Abbellire is a regular -ire verb conjugated with the -isc- infix: abbellisco, abbellisci, abbellisce. It takes avere as auxiliary. It can be used reflexively (abbellirsi, to make oneself more attractive). The related noun is abbellimento (embellishment).

Examples

"I fiori abbelliscono il cortile della scuola."

Natural Translation

The flowers beautify the school courtyard.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Mi Piace vs Mi Piacciono: How to Say 'I Like'

Use mi piace for one thing and mi piacciono for many — because in Italian the thing you like is the subject. The full rule, pronouns, and past tense.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Present Tense: -are, -ere, -ire Verbs

Conjugate Italian present-tense verbs fast: one color-coded chart for -are, -ere, and -ire endings, plus the sneaky -isc- group most guides bury.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Essential Italian Travel Phrases (With Vorrei)

Vorrei means I would like — the politest, most useful Italian travel phrase. Learn five reusable frames to order, ask prices, and find your way in Italy.

June 5, 2026 5 min read