astemio
/asˈtɛ.mjo/
The English word "teetotaler" is translated into Italian as astemio.
astemio is a noun used to describe a person who completely abstains from alcohol.
Meaning: person who completely abstains from alcohol (noun)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish astemio from sobrio. While astemio refers to someone who abstains from alcohol entirely, sobrio means "sober", referring to someone who is currently not intoxicated.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun changes based on gender and number: the masculine plural is astemi, the feminine plural is astemie and the feminine form for a female teetotaler is astemia.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /asˈtɛ.mjo/.
Did you know?
- While an astemio avoids alcohol, the Italian word sobrio can also be used metaphorically to describe someone's clothing or interior design as 'unostentatious' or 'minimalist'.
- The word astemio is derived from the Latin abstēmius, which originally described a general moderation in all physical pleasures, not just alcohol.
- In Italian literature, an astemio is often characterized as a person of extreme moral rigor or 'asceticism', rather than just a person with a simple dietary restriction.
Examples in context
- È astemio.He's a teetotaler.Tatoeba #3031796 by Guybrush88, translation #2204730 by loghaD
- Mio fratello è un astemio convinto.My brother is a staunch teetotaler.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Giulia are choosing drinks at a party.
- MatteoVuoi un calice di vino, Giulia?Do you want a glass of wine, Giulia?
- GiuliaNo grazie, sai che sono astemio.No thanks, you know that I am a teetotaler.
- MatteoHai ragione, me ne ero dimenticato.You're right, I had forgotten.
- GiuliaPrendo solo un succo d'arancia.I'll just have an orange juice.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry astemio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries astemio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
