cavatappi
/kavaˈtappi/
The English phrase "wine opener" is cavatappi in Italian.
cavatappi refers to the specific tool used for removing corks from wine bottles.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of cava, meaning to hollow out or extract and tappi, meaning corks.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cavatappi is invariable, so it does not change its form when used in the plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/kavaˈtappi/
Did you know?
- The verb cavare found in the word cavatappi is a core part of the popular idiom cavarsela, which literally means to 'pull oneself out' of a mess or a problem.
- While cavatappi specifically targets the cork, the term apribottiglie is a general 'bottle opener' used for metal caps on beer or soda.
- In some Italian dialects, the word cavatappi may be replaced by regional terms that describe the spiral shape of the screw rather than the act of opening.
Examples in context
- Il cavatappi è sul tavolo.The wine opener is on the table.
- Mi serve un cavatappi per questa bottiglia.I need a wine opener for this bottle.
- Hai un cavatappi in cucina?Do you have a wine opener in the kitchen?
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are preparing for dinner at home.
- LorenzoGiulia, hai visto il cavatappi?Giulia, have you seen the wine opener?
- GiuliaNo, non lo trovo da nessuna parte.No, I can't find it anywhere.
- LorenzoForse il cavatappi è nel cassetto.Maybe the wine opener is in the drawer.
- GiuliaAh, eccolo! È qui.Ah, there it is! It is here.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cavatappi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
