infarto

heart attack

noun een-FAHR-toh Rare

Origin: From Latin infarctus, stuffed, blocked.

Also means

infarction

Usage Note

Infarto is the standard medical and colloquial term for a heart attack (infarto del miocardio). In informal speech Italians also say mi ha fatto venire un infarto ('it nearly gave me a heart attack') as hyperbole for a severe fright.

Examples

"Il medico ha diagnosticato un infarto."

Natural Translation

The doctor diagnosed a heart attack.

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