torrone
/torˈro.ne/masculine
The Italian word for nougat is torrone.
torrone refers to a confection made of egg white, a sweetener and usually nuts.
Meaning: a confection of egg white, a sweetener, and (usually) nuts (noun)
Which one should you use?
While torrone often refers to the hard, crunchy variety, torrone morbido is used specifically for the soft, chewy version.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA is /torˈro.ne/.
When do people say it?
torrone is a traditional Italian confection that is especially popular during the Christmas season.
Did you know?
- The word torrone shares its root with the English word 'toast' via the Latin torrere, which means 'to roast' or 'to burn'.
- While torrone is the standard term, the Sicilian variant turruni often reflects the island's historical influence from Arabic sweets made with honey and nuts.
- In some Italian dialects, the word torrone can be used metaphorically to describe something very hard or stubborn, mirroring the physical texture of the hard variety.
Examples in context
- Ho appena comprato del torrone. Vuoi provarlo?I just bought some nougat. Do you want to taste it?
- Il torrone è un dolce molto diffuso in Italia.Nougat is a widely popular sweet in Italy.
- Hai mai mangiato un torroncino?Have you ever eaten a small nougat?
- Dovremmo comprare qualche torroncino per condividere con gli amici.We should buy some small nougats to share with friends.
- La festa di Natale è incompleta senza un buon torrone!Christmas celebration is incomplete without a good nougat!
- Mio nonno preparava sempre il torroncino fatto in casa per noi.My grandfather always made homemade small nougats for us.
- La tradizione del torrone si tramanda da generazioni nella mia famiglia.The tradition of nougat has been passed down for generations in my family.
- Questo torrone è molto dolce.This nougat is very sweet.
- Vuoi un pezzo di torrone alle mandorle?Do you want a piece of almond nougat?
- Ho comprato del torrone per il Natale.I bought some nougat for Christmas.
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are sharing a dessert after dinner.
- SofiaHai assaggiato questo torrone?Have you tasted this nougat?
- AlessandroNo, sembra delizioso, Sofia.No, it looks delicious, Sofia.
- SofiaÈ il mio torrone preferito.It is my favorite nougat.
- AlessandroAllora ne prendo un po' anche io.Then I will take a little bit too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nougat” translations and entries torrone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries torrone, CC BY-SA 4.0.
