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rottura

break, rupture

noun rot-TOO-rah Less Common
Descriptions & Qualities Conditions

Origin: Latin ruptura, from rumpere, 'to break'

Also means

split, breakdown (of a relationship)

Usage Note

Rottura covers both literal breaks (la rottura di un osso = 'a bone fracture') and figurative ones (la rottura di un accordo/di una coppia = 'the breakdown of an agreement/couple'). In colloquial Italian, che rottura (di scatole)! is a mild expletive meaning 'what a pain/nuisance!' — learners should be aware of the register shift.

Examples

"La rottura del contratto ha causato problemi."

Natural Translation

The breach of contract caused problems.

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