carciofo
/karˈt͡ʃɔ.fo/masculine
The Italian word for artichoke is carciofo.
carciofo is a masculine noun used to refer to the artichoke vegetable.
Meaning: vegetable (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of carciofo is carciofi, which means artichokes.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /karˈtʃɔ.fo/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word carciofo entered the Italian language via Siculo-Arabic, reflecting the historical influence of Arabic speakers in Sicily.
- In Rome, a popular street food called carciofi alla giudia refers to artichokes prepared in the traditional Jewish style, typically deep-fried until they look like golden flowers.
- Italy is one of the world's largest producers of artichokes, and the carciofo is often treated with the same culinary prestige as a primary protein in traditional courses.
Examples in context
- Mi piacciono i carciofi.I like artichokes.
- Il carciofo è molto buono.The artichoke is very good.
- Vuoi un carciofo saltato in padella?Do you want a sautéed artichoke?
- Ho comprato un carciofo fresco al mercato.I bought a fresh artichoke at the market.
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- FrancescoCosa prepariamo per cena, Giulia?What should we prepare for dinner, Giulia?
- GiuliaPossiamo cucinare un carciofo alla Romana.We can cook a Roman-style artichoke.
- FrancescoOttima idea, mi piace molto!Great idea, I like it a lot!
- GiuliaAllora vado a prenderne uno.Then I will go get one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “artichoke” translations and entries carciofo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carciofo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
