compleanno

birthday

noun kohm-pleh-AHN-noh Less Common

Origin: From Italian compi- (to complete) + anno (year): the day that completes another year.

Usage Note

Compleanno (m.) literally means 'completing a year.' The standard greeting is Buon compleanno! (Happy birthday!). Italians often celebrate the onomastico (name day) with equal or greater enthusiasm than the birthday itself.

Examples

"Oggi è il mio compleanno."

Natural Translation

Today is my birthday.

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