topo

mouse, rat

noun TOH-poh Rare

Usage Note

Topo is the everyday word for both mouse and rat; for precision Italians may say topo di campagna (field mouse) or ratto (rat). Colloquially topo di biblioteca ('library mouse') means a bookworm, and topo d'appartamento means a burglar who specialises in apartments.

Examples

"Il gatto ha catturato un topo in cantina."

Natural Translation

The cat caught a mouse in the cellar.

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