refrigerio
relief
noun reh-free-JEH-ryoh Rare
Origin: Latin refrigerium (cooling, refreshment)
Also means
refreshment
Usage Note
Refrigerio carries a pleasantly literary or elevated tone, evoking coolness or comfort after heat or hardship (trovare refrigerio all'ombra = to find relief in the shade). It is more poetic than sollievo (relief) and distinctly implies physical coolness. In everyday speech it appears most in fixed phrases; overusing it in casual conversation can sound archaic.
Examples
"L'acqua fresca portava refrigerio."
Natural Translation
The cool water brought relief.

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
5 min read