Complotto

Complotto is an Italian noun meaning a secret plan by a group to achieve wrongdoing, especially political, criminal, or subversive acts. It is closely related to cospirazione (conspiracy) and congiura (treachery), but complotto often emphasizes the secrecy of the plan and the coordination among participants. In practice, the distinctions between these terms are porous and usage varies by genre and region.

The term derives from the verb complottare, to plot or scheme; thus a complotto describes the plan itself as well as the act of conspiring. Complotto is widely used in journalism, historical writing, and everyday speech to refer to clandestine schemes, ranging from informal plots within organizations to large-scale political intrigues. It can carry a neutral, sensational, or condemnatory tone depending on context.

In culture and discourse, complotti have been central to numerous historical episodes and continue to appear in news coverage and fiction as plot devices. When discussing real events, sources may describe alleged complotti, noting whether evidence supports the claim or whether it is disputed.

See also: cospirazione, congiura, intrigo.