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animale

animal

noun ah-nee-MAH-leh Less Common

Origin: from Latin animal 'living being'

Usage Note

Animale ends in -e, so the plural is animali and the gender is fixed masculine regardless of the creature. Used as an adjective it can mean 'animal' or, colloquially, describe brutish behaviour. The phrase animale domestico means 'pet'.

Examples

"Il cane è un animale fedele."

Natural Translation

The dog is a loyal animal.

Literal Translation

The dog is an animal loyal.

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