decantare

to decant

verb deh-kahn-TAH-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin decanthare, from de- + canthus (rim of a vessel).

Also means

to extol

Usage Note

Decantare has two quite distinct senses: the physical one (to pour liquid carefully, letting sediment settle, common in wine service) and the rhetorical one (to praise highly, to sing the praises of something). A learner must rely on context to tell them apart — decantare un vino (to decant a wine) vs decantare le virtù di qualcuno (to extol someone's virtues).

Examples

"Bisogna decantare il vino rosso."

Natural Translation

One must decant the red wine.

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