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bestia

beast; animal

noun BEH-styah Rare

Origin: Latin bestia (wild animal)

Also means

brute (person)

Usage Note

Bestia is used for any non-human creature in an informal register, but its most common everyday use is figurative: calling someone a bestia means they are ignorant, rough, or brutish. The exclamation bestia! or che bestia! can express frustration or mild insult. Do not confuse with belva (wild/ferocious beast), which is stronger.

Examples

"Quella bestia mi ha spaventato."

Natural Translation

That beast frightened me.

Literal Translation

That beast me has frightened.

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