morboso
/morˈbo.zo/
The English word morbid is translated into Italian as morboso.
morboso is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is interested in or fixated on death and decay.
Meaning: interested or fixated on death and decay (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending to morbosa to agree with a feminine singular noun, morbosi to agree with a masculine plural noun and morbose to agree with a feminine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /morˈbo.zo/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, morboso can describe a sexual fixation or a lecherous curiosity, moving beyond the English focus on death and decay.
- An Italian doctor may use morboso as a clinical term to describe a physical state that is chronically diseased or pathologically unsound.
- The English word 'morbid' and the Italian morboso both share the same root in the Latin 'morbus', which means 'disease'.
Examples in context
- Quella scena era macabraThat scene was morbid
- Quel quadro raffigura una scena macabra.That painting depicts a morbid scene.
- L'atmosfera di quel luogo era davvero tetraThe atmosphere of that place was truly morbid
- Quella battuta è davvero malsanaThat joke is really morbid
- Non ti permettere di fare battute così malsane!Don't make such morbid jokes!
- una curiosità morbosaA morbid curiosity
- Ha un interesse morboso per i crimini irrisolti.He has a morbid interest in unsolved crimes.
- Non essere così morboso con queste storie.Don't be so morbid with these stories.
- È un tipo morboso che ama il macabro.He is a morbid type who loves the macabre.
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are discussing a dark horror movie.
- GiuliaQuesto film è davvero troppo morboso per me.This movie is really too morbid for me.
- FrancescoA me piace, è molto affascinante.I like it, it is very fascinating.
- GiuliaFrancesco, il tuo gusto è davvero strano.Francesco, your taste is really strange.
- FrancescoForse sono un po' morboso, è vero.Maybe I am a bit morbid, it's true.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry morboso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries morboso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
