pavone
/paˈvo.ne/masculine
The English word "peacock" is pavone in Italian.
pavone refers to the bird of the genera Pavo and Afropavo. It can also be used figuratively in the idiom fare il pavone, which means to strut or show off like a peacock, describing someone behaving in a vain or boastful manner.
Meaning: pheasant of one of the genera Pavo and Afropavo (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is pavone, and the plural form is pavoni.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /paˈvo.ne/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian art history, the pavone is frequently used in Renaissance painting as a symbol of immortality and the resurrection.
- In Italian, the word pavone is used for both the male and female birds, unlike English where 'peahen' specifies the female.
- Italian uses the same root in pavoneggiare, a verb that specifically means to strut or show off.
Examples in context
- È una farfalla pavone.It's a peacock butterfly.This sentence illustrates the use of pavone in the name of a butterfly.Tatoeba #13437410 by Guybrush88, translation #10937756 by shekitten
- C'è un pavone in cortile.There's a peacock in the courtyard.This sentence shows pavone being used to identify a bird in a courtyard.Tatoeba #1969114 by Guybrush88, translation #1482609 by Spamster
- È più fiera di un pavone.You are prouder than a peacock.This sentence demonstrates the use of pavone in a comparison regarding pride.Tatoeba #4703567 by Guybrush88, translation #4359852 by Tjagotje
- Guarda quel pavoncello! È così carino con le sue penne colorate!Look at that little peacock! It's so cute with its colorful feathers!
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are visiting a botanical garden.
- ChiaraGuarda quel bellissimo pavone!Look at that beautiful peacock!
- AlessandroSì, il pavone ha colori incredibili.Yes, the peacock has incredible colors.
- ChiaraÈ molto elegante.He is very elegant.
- AlessandroIn effetti, è un animale maestoso.Indeed, he is a majestic animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “peacock” translations and entries pavone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
