negazione
/ne.ɡatˈt͡sjo.ne/
The English phrase denial is translated into Italian as negazione.
negazione is used to describe the assertion of untruth. In the contexts of logic and grammar, it also serves as the standard term for the word negation.
Meaning: assertion of untruth (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word negazione is derived from the verb negare, which means to deny.
Which one should you use?
While negazione can refer to the assertion of untruth, it is also the technical term used for negation in grammar and logic.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of negazione is negazioni.
How do you pronounce it?
/ne.ɡatˈtsjo.ne/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In legal Italian, a 'denial' of a specific allegation is often referred to as a contestazione, which carries the nuance of 'challenging' or 'disputing' rather than just 'denying'.
- The root of negazione traces back to the Proto-Indo-European particle *né, which is the ancestor of the English word 'no'.
- In Italian, negazione is used in a psychological context to describe a defense mechanism, much like 'denial' is used in English therapy.
Examples in context
- La negazione è una cosa terribile.Denial is a terrible thing.Tatoeba #5740501 by Guybrush88, translation #5738418 by CM
- La negazione sarebbe stata inutile.Denial would have been useless.Tatoeba #5740507 by Guybrush88, translation #3607809 by vvv123
- La sua negazione di sé è ammirevole.His self-denial is admirable.Tatoeba #5740508 by Guybrush88, translation #3086100 by KiwiCreme
- Mi dispiace, ma devo rifiutare la tua richiesta.I'm sorry, but I have to deny your request.
- La compagnia assicurativa ha emesso un diniego del reclamo.The insurance company issued a denial of the claim.
- Assolutamente no, non posso farlo.Absolutely no, I can't do it.
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are discussing a mistake at work.
- MartinaHai visto che Francesco ha fatto un errore?Did you see that Francesco made a mistake?
- FrancescoSì, ma la sua negazione è continua.Yes, but his denial is constant.
- MartinaPerché non ammette semplicemente la verità?Why doesn't he just admit the truth?
- FrancescoForse ha paura delle conseguenze.Maybe he is afraid of the consequences.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry negazione, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
