strofinaccio
/stro.fiˈnat.t͡ʃo/
The Italian word for dishrag is strofinaccio.
A strofinaccio refers to a piece of cloth, specifically implying a cloth used for the repetitive action of wiping or scrubbing.
Meaning: piece of cloth (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the verb strofinare (to rub/wipe) and the suffix -accio, which is a pejorative suffix used to denote something of poor quality or a large, messy version of the base object.
Which one should you use?
Compared to straccio (a simple rag), strofinaccio implies a cloth specifically used for the repetitive action of wiping or scrubbing.
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?
- While strofinaccio is for dishes, the word straccio can be used as a metaphor in Italian to describe a person who is completely exhausted or lacks moral strength.
- The verb strofinare can be used in a superstitious context, such as rubbing a lucky charm or a magic lamp to make a wish.
- The suffix -accio in strofinaccio acts like a linguistic 'bad mood', turning a neutral object into something perceived as low-quality or unpleasant.
Examples in context
- Scusi, potrebbe passarmi il panno per i piatti, per favore?Excuse me, could you pass me the dishrag, please?
- Mi scusi, ha per caso uno strofinaccio pulito?Excuse me, do you happen to have a clean dishrag?
- Hai visto il cencio per i piatti? Non riesco a trovarlo.Have you seen the dishrag? I can't find it.
- Posso usare lo straccetto per asciugare questi piatti?Can I use the dishrag to dry these dishes?
- Passami un strofinaccio, per favore.Pass me a dishrag, please.
- Usa questo strofinaccio per pulire il tavolo.Use this dishrag to clean the table.
- Il mio strofinaccio è tutto bagnato.My dishrag is completely wet.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are cleaning up the kitchen after dinner.
- MatteoMartina, dove hai messo lo strofinaccio?Martina, where did you put the dishrag?
- MartinaÈ sopra il lavandino, Matteo.It is over the sink, Matteo.
- MatteoGrazie, lo uso per asciugare i piatti.Thanks, I will use it to dry the dishes.
- MartinaPerfetto, io pulisco il piano di lavoro.Perfect, I will clean the countertop.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry strofinaccio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
