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moroso

debtor in arrears

noun moh-ROH-zoh Rare
People & Society Relationships

Origin: Medieval Latin morosus in the sense of delay

Also means

boyfriend/girlfriend (regional)

Usage Note

Moroso has two quite different meanings depending on region. In legal and financial Italian it means someone who has defaulted on a payment (affittuario moroso = tenant in arrears). In northern Italy — especially Lombardy and Veneto — it is the informal word for boyfriend (il mio moroso) or girlfriend (la mia morosa). Context is essential.

Examples

"Il moroso non ha pagato l'affitto."

Natural Translation

The defaulting tenant hasn't paid the rent.

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