squisito
/skwiˈzi.to/
The English phrase exquisite can be translated into Italian as squisito.
In Italian, squisito is primarily used to describe food or drink that has a very pleasant and intense taste. For example, you can say un pasto squisito to describe a delicious meal and emphasize its exquisite flavors. It is a much stronger term than buono, which is a general way to say food is good. squisito implies a high level of culinary excellence or intense pleasure.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, squisito must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use the feminine form squisita for feminine singular nouns like la cena (the dinner), the masculine plural form squisiti for masculine plural nouns like i piatti (the dishes) and the feminine plural form squisite for feminine plural nouns like le prelibatezze (the delicacies).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /skwiˈzi.to/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- Calling a person squisito is a high compliment that refers to their refined manners and social grace rather than their physical appearance.
- The word squisito shares a common ancestor with the English word 'exquisite', as both stem from the Latin 'exquīrō', meaning 'to seek out'.
- In an Italian dining context, using squisito functions as a social tool to signal deep gratitude to a host, elevating the compliment above mere satisfaction.
Examples in context
- Il cadavere squisito berrà il vino novello.The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine.This sentence uses the form squisito.Tatoeba #3876822 by Guybrush88, translation #904474 by Scott
- Questo vino è squisitoThis wine is exquisite
- Hai una casa davvero raffinataYou have a truly exquisite house
- Oggi abbiamo mangiato un pasto meravigliosoToday, we had an exquisite meal
- Questo risotto è davvero squisito.This risotto is truly exquisite.
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are eating at a nice Italian restaurant.
- SofiaMatteo, questo vino è squisito.Matteo, this wine is exquisite.
- MatteoHai ragione, Sofia, è eccellente.You're right, Sofia, it's excellent.
- SofiaAnche la pasta è squisita.The pasta is exquisite too.
- MatteoSì, il cuoco è bravissimo.Yes, the chef is very talented.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry squisito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries squisito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
