nichilista
/ni.kiˈlis.ta/feminine, masculine
The English phrase 'nihilist' is nichilista in Italian.
nichilista refers to a person who accepts nihilism.
Meaning: person who accepts nihilism (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun nichilista is invariable regarding gender, meaning the form remains the same whether referring to a male or a female. To form the masculine plural, replace the final -a with -i to get nichilisti. To form the feminine plural, replace the final -a with -e to get nichiliste.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the third syllable: /ni.kiˈlis.ta/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word nichilista is often used as a biting adjective to describe someone who is simply pessimistic or destructive, rather than someone following a specific philosophical school.
- In Italian political discourse, nichilista was historically used as a label to attack anarchists and radicals who sought the total demolition of existing state structures.
- The Italian philosopher Giacomo Leopardi explored themes of nichilismo through his poetry, though he preceded the widespread use of the term in Italy.
Examples in context
- Ero un nichilista.I used to be a nihilist.Tatoeba #10504760 by Guybrush88, translation #10501197 by shekitten
- Durante il convegno di filosofia, gli esperti discutevano sull'importanza dell'etica e del ruolo del nichilista nella società moderna.During the philosophy conference, experts were discussing the importance of ethics and the role of the nihilist in modern society.
- Non credo di essere un nichilista.I don't think I am a nihilist.
- Quella ragazza è una vera nichilista.That girl is a true nihilist.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a philosophy book in a cafe.
- FrancescoHai letto questo libro sulla filosofia?Have you read this book on philosophy?
- ChiaraSì, ma la protagonista è una nichilista.Yes, but the protagonist is a nihilist.
- FrancescoÈ un personaggio molto interessante.She is a very interesting character.
- ChiaraSì, ma il suo pensiero è triste.Yes, but her way of thinking is sad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nihilist” translations and entries nichilista, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
