caldaia

boiler

noun kahl-DAH-yah Rare

Origin: From Medieval Latin caldaria (vessel for heating), from Latin calidus (hot).

Usage Note

Caldaia refers to a boiler for central heating or industrial steam production. A common false-friend trap: caldaia is NOT caldo (warm/hot) — it shares the Latin root but means the appliance, not the sensation. The annual revisione della caldaia (boiler service) is a legal requirement in Italy for gas-fired systems.

Examples

"La caldaia si è guastata e non abbiamo il riscaldamento."

Natural Translation

The boiler broke down and we have no heating.

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

C'è vs Ci Sono: There Is/Are in Italian

C'è for one thing, ci sono for many — that's the rule. Master Italian's there is/there are with c'era, ci sarà, è vs c'è, and non c'è nessuno.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Question Words: Chi, Cosa, Dove, Quando & More

Master Italian question words: chi, cosa, dove, quando, perché, come, quanto and quale. A usage-first guide that finally sorts che vs cosa vs quale.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

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