celeste
/t͡ʃeˈlɛs.te/
The Italian word for celestial is celeste.
celeste is an adjective used to describe things that are of, relating to or located in the sky or outer space. In addition to its celestial meaning, celeste is also the standard Italian term for the color sky blue.
Meaning: of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space (adj)
Which one should you use?
The singular form celeste is used for both masculine and feminine nouns. When referring to multiple items, the plural form is celesti, which is used for both masculine and feminine plural nouns. While it is used to mean 'celestial', it is also used specifically to denote the color sky blue.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective celeste is invariant for gender, meaning it remains the same regardless of whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine. For plural nouns, use celesti for both masculine and feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /tʃeˈlɛs.te/.
Did you know?
- The Latin root of celeste is the same ancestor for the English word 'ceiling', which originally meant the vault of the sky.
- While celeste refers to the sky, the word azzurro is actually the most common color name used for the national sports teams of Italy.
- In certain regional dialects, celeste can be used as a name for a person, though it is far more common as a descriptive adjective.
Examples in context
- La luce celestiale illumina la notte stellata.The celestial light illuminates the starry night.
- La bellezza celestiale/divina delle opere d'arte è indescrivibile.The celestial/divine beauty of artworks is indescribable.
- Questa torta è semplicemente stellare!This cake is simply celestial/stellar!
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are looking at the stars through a telescope in a backyard.
- SofiaGuarda quel fenomeno celeste, Matteo!Look at that celestial phenomenon, Matteo!
- MatteoÈ incredibile, Sofia.It is incredible, Sofia.
- SofiaSembra un corpo celeste in movimento.It looks like a celestial body in motion.
- MatteoSì, è davvero affascinante.Yes, it is truly fascinating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “celestial” translations and entries celeste, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries celeste, CC BY-SA 4.0.
