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insulto

insult

noun een-SOOL-toh Rare
Communication Expressions

Origin: From Latin insultus, 'a leaping upon, attack', from insilire.

Also means

offense, affront

Usage Note

Insulto refers to a verbal insult or affront. It is also used in medical Italian as a calque of English 'insult': insulto cardiaco (cardiac event) and insulto cerebrale (brain injury/stroke) — these are false-friend traps for English speakers. In everyday speech, however, insulto almost always means a verbal slight or offensive remark.

Examples

"Ha risposto all'insulto con grande calma."

Natural Translation

He responded to the insult with great calm.

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