Skip to content

sermone

sermon

noun ser-MOH-neh Rare
Communication Speech

Origin: From Latin 'sermo, sermonis' (speech, discourse).

Also means

lecture, lengthy moralizing speech

Usage Note

Sermone is the formal religious address delivered from a pulpit, but in everyday Italian it is used figuratively — and often with exasperation — for any long-winded moral lecture: mi ha fatto un sermone ('he gave me a lecture'). It is masculine and pluralizes regularly: i sermoni. The more neutral term for a religious homily is omelia.

Examples

"Il prete ha tenuto un lungo sermone sulla carità."

Natural Translation

The priest gave a long sermon on charity.

Explore Italian by topic