cannella
/kanˈnɛl.la/feminine
Cinnamon in Italian is cannella.
The word cannella is a feminine noun used to refer to the spice. When you want to describe something as being cinnamon-flavored, you should use the prepositional phrase di cannella.
Meaning: spice (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cannella is the noun for the spice, it can also function as an adjective to describe the color cinnamon. To express the specific flavor of something, use di cannella instead of the noun alone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To use cinnamon as an adjective meaning 'cinnamon-flavored', you must use the prepositional phrase di cannella rather than the noun alone.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /kanˈnɛl.la/.
Did you know?
- Italian cuisine uses cannella in savory dishes like polpette or meat stews, a practice inherited from Arab influence in Sicily.
- In Italian folk tradition, cannella is sometimes associated with attracting love and prosperity, occasionally appearing in traditional charms or incense.
- The word cannella shares a linguistic root with the English word 'canal', as both derive from the Latin 'canna' for 'reed'.
Examples in context
- A Tom piace il tè con la cannella.Tom likes tea with cinnamon.This sentence shows how to use cannella to describe tea with the spice.Tatoeba #14035988 by Guybrush88, translation #3825728 by CK
- Una delle mie spezie preferite è la cannella.One of my favorite spices is cinnamon.This sentence uses cannella to identify it as a favorite spice.Tatoeba #6954969 by Guybrush88, translation #6954771 by CK
- L'aroma dei biscotti appena sfornati e dei dolcetti speziati alla cannella rende ancora più incantevole la cornice natalizia.The aroma of freshly baked cookies and cinnamon-spiced treats adds to the enchanting Christmas ambiance.This sentence demonstrates the use of cannella in the context of spiced treats.Tatoeba #12122318 by Nuel, translation #12122316 by Nuel
- Ho aggiunto un cucchiaino di cannella nella torta.I added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake.
- La cannella dona un sapore unico ai dolci.Cinnamon adds a unique flavor to desserts.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are baking a cake in the kitchen.
- GiuliaFrancesco, dove hai messo la cannella?Francesco, where did you put the cinnamon?
- FrancescoÈ nel mobiletto delle spezie, Giulia.It is in the spice cupboard, Giulia.
- GiuliaNon la trovo, puoi aiutarmi?I can't find it, can you help me?
- FrancescoEcco la cannella, era dietro il pepe!Here is the cinnamon, it was behind the pepper!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cinnamon” translations and entries cannella, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
