tirannia

tyranny

noun tee-RAHN-nyah Rare

Origin: Greek tyrannia, via Latin tyrannia

Also means

despotism

Usage Note

Tirannia is feminine (la tirannia). It refers to oppressive, absolute rule or to any abuse of power: vivere sotto la tirannia ('to live under tyranny'). The agent noun is tiranno (m) / tiranna (f) ('tyrant'). The adjective is tirannico. Do not confuse with dittatura ('dictatorship'), which is a more specific political term.

Examples

"Il popolo si ribellò alla tirannia del re."

Natural Translation

The people rebelled against the king's tyranny.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Essere vs Avere: Italian Past Tense Made Simple

In the passato prossimo, use avere for most verbs and essere for movement, change, and reflexives — plus the agreement trap English speakers always miss.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

How to Order Coffee in Italy Like a Local

Order coffee in Italy like a local: say un caffè (not espresso), pay at the cassa first, drink al banco, and skip the latte trap. Phrases inside.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Avere Fame: Why Italians "Have" Hunger, Not "Are"

In Italian you say Ho fame (I have hunger), never sono fame. Learn the avere + noun rule for fame, freddo, paura, age, and the sono caldo trap to avoid.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Ti Amo vs Ti Voglio Bene: I Love You in Italian

Ti amo is romantic love; ti voglio bene is tender affection for family and close friends. Here's exactly who to say each phrase to in Italian.

June 5, 2026 5 min read