Rapporto

Rapporto is an Italian noun with several related senses that revolve around relation, connection, or reporting. In core use, it denotes a link between entities, a written account of facts, or a comparison between quantities. The term comes from the Italian notion of bringing elements together or presenting their relation.

As a document, a rapporto is a written account that presents facts, data, analyses, or conclusions about a topic. It is produced to inform, document, or assess. In professional contexts it appears as raporto annuale (annual report), rapporto di ricerca (research report), or rapporto di ispezione (inspection report).

As a relationship, it indicates the connection between people or things. It can describe causal or correlational relations: rapporto tra due variabili (relationship between two variables). It also appears in phrases like rapporto di parentela (kinship) and in everyday language avere un buon rapporto (to have a good relationship).

In mathematics and statistics, rapporto means ratio. It expresses how many times one quantity relates to another and is often written as A:B, as a fraction, or as a percentage. Related terms include rapporto di probabilità (probability ratio) and various proportional or comparative measures.

Think of rapporto as a versatile term used across domains to indicate that two or more elements are connected, compared, or reported upon. The precise meaning is determined by context.