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perdu

lost

adjective per-DÜ Rare

Usage Note

Perdu is a French past participle / adjective meaning lost, used as a gallicism in Italian literary texts — most famously in the Proustian phrase le temps perdu (lost time). The standard Italian equivalent is perduto or perso. Its use in Italian signals a direct French allusion or a high literary register.

Examples

"La ricerca del tempo perdu è al centro dell'opera di Proust."

Natural Translation

The search for lost time is at the centre of Proust's work.

Literal Translation

The search of-the time perdu is at-the centre of-the work of Proust.

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