Skip to content

micidiale

lethal

adjective mee-chee-DYAH-leh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'homicidalis' via Medieval Latin.

Also means

deadly

Usage Note

Micidiale means causing death or extreme harm; it is stronger than pericoloso (dangerous) and closer to letale or mortale. In informal speech Italians stretch it hyperbolically: Questo caldo è micidiale! ('This heat is killing me!'). It is invariable in gender: un colpo micidiale, una caduta micidiale.

Examples

"Il veleno di quel serpente è micidiale."

Natural Translation

That snake's venom is lethal.

Explore Italian by topic