gesso
/ˈd͡ʒɛs.so/masculine
In Italian, the word for plaster can be gesso or intonaco depending on the context.
Meaning: mixture for coating (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gesso | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.so/ | masculine |
| intonaco | /inˈtɔ.na.ko/ |
Gesso is the term for the raw material itself, such as gypsum or plaster of Paris and it can also refer to chalk in certain contexts. Intonaco refers specifically to a plaster coating applied to walls or building surfaces. Additionally, stucco can refer to a plaster-based material used for sculptures.
Which one should you use?
Use gesso when referring to the substance or material (like gypsum), whereas intonaco is used specifically in construction to describe the plaster coating for walls. In the context of art, stucco may be used for sculptural plaster materials.
How does it change in a sentence?
Gesso is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word gesso is pronounced /ˈdʒɛs.so/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'plaster' for both the material and the medical cast for a broken bone, Italians use different words entirely. A medical cast is called 'gesso', but in other contexts, the word refers to the mineral or the chalk.
- The word intonaco comes from the verb intonacare, which literally means 'to give a tone or complexion' to a surface. This suggests the process of plastering is viewed as giving the building its 'skin' or 'look'.
- The word gesso is also the Italian term for the white chalk used by students in classrooms. If you ask for gesso in a school supply shop, they will not hand you construction materials.
Examples in context
- Il gesso viene spesso utilizzato per creare calchi delle sculture.Plaster is often used to create casts of sculptures.
- In questo laboratorio, produciamo stucco di gesso per scopi artistici.In this workshop, we produce plaster of Paris for artistic purposes.
- Il gesso è ancora troppo umido.The plaster is still too wet.
- Abbiamo bisogno di un sacco di gesso.We need a bag of plaster.
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are renovating a room together.
- GiuliaMatteo, dove hai messo il gesso?Matteo, where did you put the plaster?
- MatteoÈ in garage, vicino ai pennelli.It's in the garage, near the brushes.
- GiuliaGrazie, vado a prenderlo subito.Thanks, I'll go get it right away.
- MatteoFai attenzione a non sporcare il pavimento.Be careful not to get the floor dirty.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plaster” translations and entries gesso, intonaco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gesso, intonaco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
