mostro

monster

noun MOH-stroh Rare

Origin: Latin monstrum, 'omen, portent, monster,' from monere 'to warn.'

Usage Note

Mostro is masculine (i mostri). Colloquially it can be used as a compliment: sei un mostro! can mean 'you're incredible!' (a beast at something). It also appears in mostro sacro, an Italian idiom for a legendary, towering figure in a field (like a 'legend' or 'giant' in English).

Examples

"Il bambino ha paura del mostro."

Natural Translation

The child is afraid of the monster.

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

Ti Amo vs Ti Voglio Bene: I Love You in Italian

Ti amo is romantic love; ti voglio bene is tender affection for family and close friends. Here's exactly who to say each phrase to in Italian.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

You're Welcome in Italian: 8 Ways Beyond Prego

You're welcome in Italian is more than prego: say figurati to friends, si figuri to strangers, di niente, non c'è di che, or grazie a te. Pick the right one.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Essere vs Avere: Italian Past Tense Made Simple

In the passato prossimo, use avere for most verbs and essere for movement, change, and reflexives — plus the agreement trap English speakers always miss.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Reflexive Verbs: Mi Chiamo, Mi Alzo & More

Italian reflexive verbs use mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si — learn the pronouns, conjugate chiamarsi and alzarsi, master your daily routine, and the modal-verb rule.

June 5, 2026 5 min read