grattacielo
/ˌɡrat.taˈt͡ʃɛ.lo/masculine
The English word skyscraper is grattacielo in Italian.
grattacielo is used to refer to a tall building.
Meaning: tall building (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of gratta (scratches) and cielo (sky).
How does it change in a sentence?
grattacielo is a masculine noun. The plural form is grattacieli.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /ˌɡrat.taˈtʃɛ.lo/.
Did you know?
- While grattacielo is a literal translation of 'skyscraper', Italy has very few of them due to strict laws protecting the 'skyline' of historic cities like Rome and Florence.
- The verb part of the word, grattare, is the same word used for 'to scratch' an itch or 'to scrape' a plate clean.
- The word grattacielo is a 'calque', which is a type of loanword where the meaning is translated literally from another language rather than adopting the original sound.
Examples in context
- Il grattacielo è al centro della città.The skyscraper is in the center of the city.This sentence shows the location of the grattacielo.Tatoeba #5821539 by Guybrush88, translation #1400254 by Balamax
- Il Burj Khalifa è attualmente il grattacielo più alto del mondo.Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest skyscraper in the world.This sentence uses grattacielo to describe the Burj Khalifa.Tatoeba #1446996 by Balamax, translation #1399479 by Balamax
- Il nuovo grattacielo, che sarà composto da due torri intrecciate di 1212 metri di altezza, deve essere pronto per l'anno 2022.The new skyscraper, which will consist of two intertwined 1212-meter towers, is expected to be completed in 2022.This sentence provides details about a new grattacielo.Tatoeba #1860326 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1860331 by al_ex_an_der
- La città di Milano è famosa per i suoi imponenti grattacieli.The city of Milan is famous for its impressive skyscrapers.
- Mi piace ammirare i grattacieli di New York.I enjoy admiring the skyscrapers of New York.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo are looking at the city skyline from a balcony.
- MartinaGuarda che grattacielo incredibile!Look at that incredible skyscraper!
- LorenzoSì, è davvero altissimo, Lorenzo.Yes, it is really tall, Lorenzo.
- MartinaSai cosa c'è in quel grattacielo?Do you know what is in that skyscraper?
- LorenzoCredo che siano solo uffici.I think they are just offices.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skyscraper” translations and entries grattacielo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries grattacielo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
