corvo imperiale
masculine
The Italian word for raven is corvo imperiale.
corvo imperiale refers to the large species of birds in the genus Corvus characterized by lustrous black plumage. The related adjective corvino is used to describe something that possesses the deep, glossy jet-black color characteristic of a raven.
Meaning: any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word corvo is the general term for a crow, whereas corvo imperiale is used specifically to denote the larger raven species. The adjective corvino specifically describes the raven-black color of plumage.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Veneto region, the word for raven is adapted to corb in the Venetian dialect.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of corvo imperiale is corvi imperiali.
Did you know?
- The Latin root of corvo is also the source of the 'corvus' boarding device, a bridge used by Roman ships to latch onto enemy vessels during sea battles.
- Despite the bird's intimidating appearance, the term corvo is sometimes used in Italian literature to personify a sense of melancholy or bad luck.
- The adjective corvino is a popular way to describe hair in Italy, referring to a deep, glossy black color that mirrors a raven's feathers.
Examples in context
- Ho visto un corvo imperiale nel bosco.I saw a raven in the woods.
- Il corvo imperiale è un uccello molto grande.The raven is a very large bird.
- Quel corvo imperiale ha le piume nere lucide.That raven has lustrous black feathers.
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are hiking in a forest.
- FrancescoGuarda lassù, c'è un corvo imperiale sul ramo.Look up there, there is a raven on the branch.
- ChiaraHai ragione, Francesco, è davvero maestoso.You are right, Francesco, it is truly majestic.
- FrancescoÈ un esemplare molto raro da vedere.It is a very rare specimen to see.
- ChiaraSiamo fortunati ad averlo avvistato oggi.We are lucky to have spotted it today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raven” translations and entries corvo imperiale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corvo, imperiale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
