strofinaccio
/stro.fiˈnat.t͡ʃo/
The English phrase 'dish towel' is translated into Italian as strofinaccio.
A strofinaccio is a towel for wiping dishes. To specify it is for the kitchen, you can say strofinaccio da cucina. The literal translation of asciugapiatti is 'dish drier' or 'dish dryer'.
Meaning: towel for wiping dishes (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of strofinaccio is strofinacci.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /stro.fiˈnat.tʃo/.
Did you know?
- If you use strofinaccio as a slang term for a person, it can describe someone who is seen as a 'doormat' or someone who allows themselves to be stepped on.
- The suffix -accio in strofinaccio is a 'pejorative' suffix, which in Italian often implies that the object is old, worn out, or of poor quality.
- In a professional kitchen setting, the word asciugapiatti can refer to the actual person whose job it is to dry the dishes rather than the cloth itself.
Examples in context
- Ho bisogno di un nuovo strofinaccio per asciugare i piatti dopo la cena.I need a new dish towel to dry the dishes after dinner.
- Passami lo strofinaccio, per favore.Pass me the dish towel, please.
- Dov'è lo strofinaccio pulito?Where is the clean dish towel?
- Usa questo strofinaccio per asciugare i piatti.Use this dish towel to dry the dishes.
Example conversation
Sofia is drying the dishes in the kitchen.
- AlessandroSofia, hai finito di lavare i piatti?Sofia, have you finished washing the dishes?
- SofiaSì, ma mi serve uno strofinaccio.Yes, but I need a dish towel.
- AlessandroEccolo, è sopra il tavolo.Here it is, it is on the table.
- SofiaGrazie mille, Alessandro.Thanks a lot, Alessandro.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry strofinaccio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries strofinaccio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
