tovaglia

tablecloth

noun toh-VAH-lyah Rare

Origin: From Old Italian, related to 'tavola' (table).

Usage Note

Tovaglia is the cloth that covers a dining table. Do not confuse it with tovagliolo (napkin/serviette), which is the smaller cloth used at the table setting. Both words come from the same root. La tovaglia is typically brought out for formal or family meals; a casual kitchen table may have just a tovaglietta (placemat).

Examples

"Ha steso una tovaglia bianca sul tavolo."

Natural Translation

She spread a white tablecloth on the table.

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