Rivolti

Rivolti is the masculine plural form of the Italian past participle and adjective rivolto, derived from the verb rivolgere. It is used to describe nouns that are directed toward or addressed to a reference point, such as a person, an audience, or a goal. For example, sguardi rivolti al cielo means gazes directed toward the sky, and discorsi rivolti al pubblico means speeches addressed to the audience. The feminine forms are rivolta (singular) and rivolte (plural).

Rivolto, the masculine singular, has the feminine form rivolta and the plural rivolti or rivolte, depending on gender and number. When rivolto functions as a past participle, its form agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number, as with other participles used in Italian. In grammatical constructions, rivolto can appear with either avere or essere as the auxiliary, yielding different nuances. With essere, it often functions adjectivally in a passive or descriptive sense (“la domanda è rivolta al pubblico”); with avere, it can indicate a completed action directed at something (“ho rivolto una domanda”).

Etymologically, rivolti derives from rivolgere, a compound formed with the prefix ri- and volgere (to turn). The meaning centers on turning toward or directing attention, correspondence, or action.

Usage notes: rivolti is common in formal, literary, or descriptive prose. It should not be confused with rivolta, which can mean a rebellion or uprising in certain contexts, though rivolto as a participle may appear in similar roots. The term is primarily a descriptive, directional descriptor rather than a substantive term.