itālis

Borrowed from Latin ītalus, itself possibly a borrowing from Oscan [script needed] (Víteliú), a name for the southwestern tip of the boot of Italy (today's Calabria), possibly a cognate of Latin vitulus (“calf”), meaning perhaps “land of cattle.” Other theories include the name of a ancient or legendary leader Italus, or also an old borrowing from Illyrian.

itālis m (2nd declension, feminine form: itāliete)

1. Italic; a member of the ancient Italic peoples of primitive Italy

   (usually in the plural) itāļi, the Italic peoples

2. Italian (i.e., a man born in Italy)
3. (genitive plural) Italian; pertaining to Italy and its people

   itāļu valoda ― the Italian language

The noun itālietis is preferred in almost all senses; itālis is most often used in the plural itāļi to refer to the Italic peoples of ancient (pre-Roman) Italy. The only exception is the name of the Italian language, for which itāļu valoda is as frequent as itāliešu valoda.

• itālietis

• Itālija
• itālisks
• itāļu valoda, itāliešu valoda