orfanotrofio
/ˌɔr.fa.noˈtrɔ.fjo/masculine
The English phrase 'orphanage' is orfanotrofio in Italian.
orfanotrofio refers to a residential institution for the care and protection of orphans.
Meaning: a residential institution for the care and protection of orphans (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of orfano (orphan) and the suffix -trofio, which comes from the Greek word for 'nourishment' or 'rearing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of orfanotrofio is orfanotrofii.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 4th syllable: /ˌɔr.fa.noˈtrɔ.fjo/.
Did you know?
- The word orfano is used in Italian not just for children, but also in specialized contexts like orfano digitale to describe someone lacking access to technology.
- The suffix -trofio in orfanotrofio is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'trophic', used in biology to describe how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem.
- In older Italian texts, you might find the word ospizio, which originally meant a place for travelers before it became a term for shelters for the poor and orphaned.
Examples in context
- Tom crebbe in un orfanotrofio.Tom grew up in an orphanage.This sentence uses orfanotrofio to describe where Tom grew up.Tatoeba #3374525 by Guybrush88, translation #1093898 by CK
- Consegnò il pacco all'orfanotrofio.He delivered the package to the orphanage.This sentence uses orfanotrofio to describe the delivery location of a package.Tatoeba #1416113 by Guybrush88, translation #296146 by kebukebu
- Crebbi in un orfanotrofio a Boston.I was raised in an orphanage in Boston.This sentence uses orfanotrofio to describe where the speaker was raised in Boston.Tatoeba #2189188 by Guybrush88, translation #953711 by CK
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are discussing a historical movie they saw.
- MatteoL'orfanotrofio nel film era molto vecchio.The orphanage in the movie was very old.
- SofiaSì, sembrava un posto molto triste.Yes, it looked like a very sad place.
- MatteoIl protagonista è cresciuto proprio lì.The protagonist grew up right there.
- SofiaÈ una storia davvero toccante.It is a truly touching story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “orphanage” translations and entries orfanotrofio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
