cotone
/koˈto.ne/masculine
The English word 'cotton' is cotone in Italian.
Cotone is the most common and universally understood word for cotton in Italian. If you are referring specifically to absorbent cotton or cotton wool, the term is cotone idrofilo.
Meaning: fabric (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say an item is 'made of cotton', use the preposition 'di' followed by 'cotone'.
How do you pronounce it?
cotone is pronounced /koˈto.ne/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The phrase idrofilo in cotone idrofilo literally means 'water-loving' in Greek.
- The Italian word cotone shares its roots with the Arabic word quṭun, tracing the journey of the fiber from the Middle East to the Mediterranean.
- While cotone is used for fabric, Italian uses the word ovatta specifically for the fluffy, unprocessed state of cotton wool.
Examples in context
- Il cotone assorbe l'acqua.Cotton sucks up water.This sentence shows how cotone can be used as a subject that performs an action.Tatoeba #379671 by Pharamp, translation #323501 by jakov
- Questa camicetta è di cotone.This blouse is cotton.This sentence demonstrates how to use di cotone to describe what a garment is made of.Tatoeba #1432851 by Guybrush88, translation #60571 by CK
- Il cotone assorbì tutta l'acqua.The cotton absorbed all the water.This sentence shows the use of cotone in a past tense context.Tatoeba #13074186 by Guybrush88, translation #9044877 by Amastan
- Il cotone è una fibra naturaleCotton is a natural fiber
- Ho bisogno di cotone idrofilo per disinfettare la feritaI need absorbent cotton to disinfect the wound
- Mi piace indossare abiti di cotoneI like wearing cotton clothes
- Spesso il cotone viene utilizzato per produrre asciugamaniCotton is often used to produce towels
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara is checking the label of a shirt in a clothing store.
- FrancescoTi piace quella maglietta?Do you like that shirt?
- ChiaraSì, è di cotone ed è molto morbida.Yes, it is made of cotton and it is very soft.
- FrancescoAllora prendila, Chiara.Then take it, Chiara.
- ChiaraGrazie, Francesco, lo farò subito.Thanks, Francesco, I will do it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cotton” translations and entries cotone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cotone, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
