Travaglio

Travaglio is an Italian noun that denotes labor, toil, or hardship. It can refer to physical effort in performing a task, sustained exertion, or a difficult situation in general. In everyday usage it can appear in phrases such as affrontare il travaglio quotidiano or lavorare con grande travaglio, signaling the exertion or trouble involved in a task. The term also occurs in more abstract senses, where it conveys moral or emotional struggle rather than just physical effort.

In obstetric usage, travaglio specifically means labor in childbirth. It describes the onset and progression of childbirth, with common expressions like entrare in travaglio (“to go into labor”) and i sintomi del travaglio (“the symptoms of labor”). This sense is distinct from its broader meaning tied to work or effort, though it shares the core notion of strenuous or demanding process.

The word travaglio is of Italian origin and has been part of the language since the Middle Ages, generally linked to Latin roots. Aside from its lexical uses, travaglio appears as a surname; a notable bearer is Daniele Travaglio (born 1964), an Italian journalist and writer associated with Il Fatto Quotidiano. Related terms include lavoro (work), fatica (fatigue), and tribolazione (ordeal).