annunciati

Annunciati is the plural masculine form of the Italian adjective and past participle annunziato, derived from the verb annunciare, meaning to announce or to proclaim. In ordinary Italian, annunciato and its plural form annunciati function as adjectives or descriptors meaning “announced,” “proclaimed,” or “advertised.” When used as a noun, annunciati can refer to people or things that have been announced in a given context, though this usage is relatively uncommon and highly context-dependent.

Etymology and form

The term comes from Latin annuntiatus, the past participle of annuntiare, which means to report or to announce. In Italian, the agreement of the participle follows gender and number: annunciato (singular), annunciati (masculine plural), annunciate (feminine plural). The form annunciati can therefore serve as an adjective modifying nouns or, less frequently, as a noun phrase referring to the group described as announced.

Usage

Annunciati appears most often in grammatical or formal contexts as the plural form of a participle; its use as a standalone noun is limited and highly dependent on surrounding context. In general prose, Italian speakers would typically rephrase to avoid treating the participle as a bare noun.

Relation to other terms

Related terms include annuncio (announcement), annunciare (to announce), and annunciante (announcer). While l’Annunziata is a common proper noun referring to the Annunciation in religious contexts or to churches and institutions named after it, annunciati is not a standard name for a well-defined entity in Italian.

See also

Annuncio, Annunciare, Annunciazione, Annunciata.