cavo

Cavo is an Italian noun that denotes a flexible conductor used to transmit electrical power, data, or signals. It can also refer to a cord or rope used to tie, lift, tow, or secure objects.

Common types described by the noun include cavo elettrico (electrical cable), cavo coassiale (coaxial cable), and cavo in fibra ottica (fiber optic cable). Cavi di alimentazione and cavi di segnale designate power and signal cables, while cavo is also used for bare conductors and armored or shielded variants, depending on voltage, shielding, and environment.

In nautical and industrial contexts, cavo often describes rope- or wire-based elements such as cavo d'acciaio (steel wire rope) and cavo di traino (tow rope).

The term appears in everyday language as well, for example in references to consumer cables such as cavo USB or cavo HDMI, though many speakers shorten such expressions in speech.

Origin and cognates: Italian cavo is closely related to cognates in other Romance languages, such as French câble and Spanish cable, and shares the general semantic field with the English word cable.