tazzina

espresso cup

noun taht-TSEE-nah Rare

Also means

small coffee cup

Usage Note

Tazzina is the diminutive of tazza (cup) and specifically denotes the small thick-walled demitasse used for espresso in Italian bars. Asking for un caffè in Italy automatically brings a tazzina, not a large mug. Una tazza by contrast is a full-sized cup, typically for tea or cappuccino. The distinction is culturally important in Italian coffee ritual.

Examples

"Ho rovesciato la tazzina sul piattino."

Natural Translation

I knocked the espresso cup over onto the saucer.

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