Skip to content

scabroso

rough, thorny; risqué

adjective skah-BROH-zoh Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Quality

Also means

delicate, tricky

Usage Note

Scabroso covers two distinct registers: in a literal or physical sense it describes a rough or uneven surface, but far more commonly it signals that a topic is scabroso — sensitive, awkward, or sexually risqué. Italian speakers often use it as a polite euphemism to flag indecent content without stating it directly.

Examples

"Ha sollevato un argomento scabroso."

Natural Translation

He raised a touchy subject.

Explore Italian by topic