cancellare

Cancellare is an Italian verb of the first conjugation meaning to erase, delete, or cross out. It can refer to removing marks from a surface, deleting digital data, or canceling a scheduled event or appointment. In everyday language it covers both physical erasure and broader removal of content or validity. For formal or official cancellations, the verb annullare is often used, while cancellare remains common for everyday or practical removals.

Etymology and sense development: cancellare comes from Latin cancellare, related to cancellus meaning a lattice or lattice-work. The figurative sense of erasing or crossing out-content likely developed from the idea of marking through or removing by drawing lines, hence “to cancel” or “to delete.”

Usage and conjugation: cancellare is a regular -are verb. In the present indicative: io cancello, tu cancelli, lui/lei cancella, noi cancelliamo, voi cancellate, loro cancellano. The past participle is cancellato, used with avere in compounds (ho cancellato). The verb governs a direct object: cancellare qualcosa (to delete something) or cancellare un appuntamento (to cancel an appointment).

Examples: Devo cancellare l’appuntamento di domani. Ho cancellato l’e-mail dal computer. Il post è stato cancellato dal sito. In modern discourse, cancellare can also describe removing content or even people from social visibility, as in the expression cultura del cancellare or "cancellare qualcuno" in talk of cancel culture.

Related terms include annullare (to annul or void) and eliminare (to eliminate).