design
/deˈzajn/
In Italian, the English loanword design is used to mean appearance (noun).
The word design is used in Italian to refer to the appearance of an object, specifically within industrial, graphic or aesthetic contexts. You can use it in specialized phrases such as design d'interni for interior design and design di moda for fashion design. If you want to express the action of planning an artwork or an object, you would use the verb progettare.
Meaning: appearance (noun)
Which one should you use?
While design refers to the concept of industrial or aesthetic appearance, the Italian word disegno refers to a physical drawing or a sketch. For more formal contexts involving architectural plans or project design, you should use progetto.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term design is used in professional or technical contexts, particularly regarding industrial or graphic design. In contrast, progetto is a formal term used for project design or architectural plans and disegno is a formal term often used in artistic contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
design is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/deˈzajn/
Did you know?
- Using the word design in Italian often functions as a social signal to imply international luxury and prestige rather than just a physical shape.
- In an Italian art school, a disegno is not just a drawing but is historically viewed as the intellectual foundation of all visual arts.
- The English 'design' and the Italian 'disegno' share the same Latin root, 'designare', meaning to mark out or designate.
Examples in context
- È un design moderno.It's a modern design.This sentence is useful for describing the style of a design using design.Tatoeba #6601872 by Guybrush88, translation #6601867 by Eccles17
- Questo è un design brutto.This is an ugly design.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of a design using design.Tatoeba #5324841 by Guybrush88, translation #4870311 by CK
- Questo design è molto umano.The design is very human.This sentence is useful for describing the nature of a design using design.Tatoeba #11741289 by WM3DAS, translation #11474340 by DJ_Saidez
- Ho studiato design all'università.I studied design at university.
- Sto lavorando a un progetto di design d'interni.I am working on an interior design project.
- Vorrei iniziare una carriera nella progettazione.I would like to start a career in design.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are looking at a new piece of furniture.
- ChiaraTi piace il design di questa sedia?Do you like the design of this chair?
- FrancescoSì, il design è molto elegante.Yes, the design is very elegant.
- ChiaraFrancesco, penso che sia perfetta per la stanza.Francesco, I think it is perfect for the room.
- FrancescoConcordo, ha un design davvero unico.I agree, it has a truly unique design.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “design” translations and entries design, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries design, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
