repentino

sudden

adjective reh-pen-TEE-noh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'repentinus', from 'repens', sudden.

Also means

abrupt

Usage Note

Repentino describes something that happens unexpectedly and quickly: una svolta repentina (a sudden turn), un cambiamento repentino (an abrupt change). It is a formal, written-register adjective; in speech Italians often prefer improvviso or brusco. The adverb is repentinamente.

Examples

"La sua partenza repentina sorprese tutti."

Natural Translation

His sudden departure surprised everyone.

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