meticcio
The English phrase "mixed race" is translated into Italian as meticcio.
The term is used to describe a person who has parents from different racial or ethnic backgrounds.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form meticcio changes its final vowel to a to become the feminine form meticcia. The masculine plural form of meticcio is meticci.
Did you know?
- The word meticcio can be used in Italian to describe a mixed-breed dog, not just a person.
- While 'mixed race' is a common way to describe heritage in English, using meticcio in certain Italian social contexts can sometimes carry a historical weight of being 'foreign' or 'not quite local'.
- While meticcio describes mixed racial heritage, Italians use the word misto to describe things that are physically mixed, such as a 'mixed grill' or a 'mixed salad'.
Examples in context
- Marta è una persona di origini miste. La sua famiglia è una combinazione di culture italiane e filippine.Marta is a person of mixed origins. Her family is a blend of Italian and Filipino cultures.
- Lui è un ragazzo meticcio.He is a mixed race boy.
- È un bambino meticcio molto bello.He is a very beautiful mixed race child.
- Si sente orgoglioso di essere meticcio.He feels proud to be mixed race.
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia are talking about a new colleague.
- FrancescoHai visto il nuovo collega, Francesco?Have you seen the new colleague, Francesco?
- SofiaSì, Sofia, sembra meticcio.Yes, Sofia, he looks mixed race.
- FrancescoSì, ha tratti somatici molto interessanti.Yes, he has very interesting facial features.
- SofiaConcordo, ha un aspetto particolare.I agree, he has a unique look.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry meticcio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
