predicatorio

preachy, moralizing

adjective preh-dee-kah-TOH-ryoh Rare

Usage Note

Predicatorio carries a decidedly negative register in Italian, implying someone lectures others with self-righteous authority. It derives from predicare ('to preach') and is often used in criticism of art, writing, or speech: un tono predicatorio ('a preachy tone'). Learners should note that Italian predicare can mean both 'to preach a sermon' and 'to lecture moralistically'.

Examples

"Il suo discorso aveva un tono predicatorio."

Natural Translation

His speech had a preachy tone.

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

Essential Italian Travel Phrases (With Vorrei)

Vorrei means I would like — the politest, most useful Italian travel phrase. Learn five reusable frames to order, ask prices, and find your way in Italy.

June 5, 2026 5 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

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

Days & Months in Italian: A Beginner's Guide

Days of the week in Italian are lowercase, all masculine except la domenica, and il lunedì means every Monday. Learn the days, months, dates, and seasons.

June 5, 2026 4 min read