Battaglia
NOUN [feminine]
Meaning and English translation 🔖
Battle
🇬🇧 It refers to a fight or combat between armed forces.
It can also be used metaphorically to describe a significant struggle or effort in various aspects of life.
🇮🇹 Si riferisce a un combattimento o a uno scontro tra forze armate.
Può anche essere usato in senso metaforico per descrivere una lotta importante o uno sforzo significativo in vari ambiti della vita.
| Masculine ♂️ | Feminine ♀️ | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | - | la - una battaglia |
| Plural | - | le - delle battaglie |
Example sentences 💬
La battaglia di Legnano fu decisiva per l’indipendenza dei comuni italiani.
The Battle of Legnano was decisive for the independence of the Italian communes.
La battaglia contro il fumo sta dando i suoi frutti.
The battle against smoking is bearing fruit.
Le battaglie per i diritti civili sono fondamentali per il progresso sociale.
The battles for civil rights are fundamental for social progress.
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Idioms with battaglia 🇮🇹
Da battaglia
→ Robust, durable, suitable for heavy use
Questa giacca da battaglia mi accompagna in ogni viaggio: è resistente, comoda e non si rovina mai.
This go-to jacket comes with me on every trip: it's tough, comfortable, and never wears out.
Cavallo di battaglia
→ Strong point, best skill or performance
Il monologo finale di “Amleto” è il suo cavallo di battaglia.
Hamlet’s final monologue is his best performance piece.
Nome di battaglia
→ Pseudonym or code name used in combat or activism
Per proteggere la sua identità durante l'inchiesta, la giornalista ha scelto un nome di battaglia.
To protect her identity during the investigation, the journalist chose a pseudonym.
💡 BONUS: Battles whose names became words in Italian
Caporetto
→ It refers to a devastating defeat or a major setback
Quel prodotto è stato la vera Caporetto per l'azienda.
That product was a real disaster for the company.
Origin: The term comes from the Battle of Caporetto in 1917, during World War I, in which Italian forces suffered a significant defeat against the Austro-Hungarian and German armies.
Ambaradam
→ Used to describe a chaotic situation
Cos’è questo ambaradam?!
What’s this mess?!
Origin: This term originates from the Battle of Amba Aradam in 1936 during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, where Italian forces clashed with Ethiopian troops.
It’s an episode Italians should not be proud of, but we are including this expressions as it is commonly used.
Waterloo
→ Like in English, it signifies a decisive or final defeat
Quel progetto da cui si attendeva un grande trionfo si è invece rivelato la sua Waterloo.
That project from which he expected a great triumph instead turned out to be his Waterloo.
Origin: It comes from the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, where the British and Prussian armies finally defeated Napoleon Bonaparte. We are including it because it is commonly used.
Where does the word battaglia come from? 🔎
Battaglia comes from the Vulgar Latin battalia, derived from the verb battuere, which means "to beat" or "to strike."
Did you know that... 🤓
Impress your italian friends with curious facts about Italy and its culture
The Battle of Legnano
On May 29, 1176, the troops of the Lombard League defeated the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa in the Battle of Legnano, near Milan. This battle marked the end of the Holy Roman Emperor’s attempt to assert control over the northern Italian communes.
This victory allowed the cities of the Lombard League to maintain their independence and continue their development as self-governing entities, and many scholars state that this independence was an important factor in the birth of the Renaissance.
