sicario
/siˈka.rjo/
The English phrase "hit man" is sicario in Italian.
The term refers to a professional killer who is hired to commit murder for payment.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is sicario. To refer to a female hit man, use the feminine form sicaria. For the plural form, meaning multiple hit men, use sicari.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /siˈka.rjo/.
Did you know?
- The term sicari originally referred to a group of Jewish zealots in the 1st century who used curved daggers to kill collaborators in crowded places.
- In modern Italian, sicario is used almost exclusively for professional killers, whereas assassino is a more general term for anyone who commits murder.
- The word sicario is widely recognized in Spanish-speaking countries to describe cartel killers, giving the word a global cultural association with organized crime that exceeds its usage in Italy.
Examples in context
- Il sicario è stato incaricato di compiere un omicidio.The hit man has been commissioned to carry out a murder.
- Il padrino ha inviato il pistolero per risolvere la questione.The godfather sent the hit man to resolve the issue.
- Il sicario è fuggito dopo il delitto.The hit man fled after the crime.
- Hanno assunto un sicario per l'attacco.They hired a hit man for the attack.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are discussing a crime thriller novel they are reading.
- LorenzoIn questo libro, il sicario è molto astuto.In this book, the hit man is very cunning.
- SofiaSì, Lorenzo, è un personaggio davvero inquietante.Yes, Lorenzo, he is a truly disturbing character.
- LorenzoCredi che la polizia lo catturerà?Do you think the police will catch him?
- SofiaNon lo so, la storia è molto intensa.I don't know, the story is very intense.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sicario, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
