scarpa

shoe

noun SKAR-pah Rare

Origin: Possibly from a Germanic root; the exact origin is uncertain.

Usage Note

Scarpa refers to a shoe in general; the plural scarpe is by far more common since shoes come in pairs. A low shoe is scarpa bassa, a high-heeled shoe scarpa col tacco. The diminutive fare la scarpetta means to wipe one's plate clean with a piece of bread.

Examples

"Ho comprato un paio di scarpe nuove."

Natural Translation

I bought a pair of new shoes.

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