macellaio
/ma.t͡ʃelˈla.jo/masculine
The Italian word for butcher is macellaio.
The noun macellaio refers to a person who prepares and sells meat.
Meaning: person who prepares and sells meat (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is macellaio. To refer to multiple butchers, use the plural form macellai. If you are referring to a female butcher, use the feminine form macellaia.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ma.tʃelˈla.jo/. It has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- The word macellaio is often used as a colorful insult to describe someone who is clumsy or lacks skill, especially when performing a delicate task.
- Unlike in English, where 'butcher' is a general term, an Italian might distinguish between a macellaio and a norcino, a specialist in pork processing.
- In Italian, the verb macellare derived from macellaio is used to describe a brutal massacre or slaughter, rather than the professional preparation of meat.
Examples in context
- Lui è un macellaio.He's a butcher.This sentence is useful for identifying someone's profession using macellaio.Tatoeba #2009080 by Guybrush88, translation #2009078 by CM
- Tom è un macellaio.Tom is a butcher.This sentence shows how to use macellaio when naming a specific person.Tatoeba #4724985 by Guybrush88, translation #4724930 by CK
- Il macellaio macinò la carne.The butcher ground the meat.This sentence illustrates the butcher performing an action with the word macellaio.Tatoeba #1106898 by Guybrush88, translation #681103 by Source_VOA
- Ciao! Mi chiamo [Your Name]. Volevo comprare della carne. Lei è il macellaio, giusto?Hello! My name is [Your Name]. I wanted to buy some meat. You're the butcher, right?
- Mi può consigliare una buona carne per il barbecue?Can you recommend a good meat for the barbecue?
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are walking through a local market.
- GiuliaDove si trova il macellaio?Where is the butcher?
- MatteoÈ proprio qui dietro l'angolo.He is right here around the corner.
- GiuliaIl macellaio ha della carne buona?Does the butcher have good meat?
- MatteoSì, è il migliore della città.Yes, he is the best in town.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butcher” translations and entries macellaio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
