danno

Danno is an Italian noun meaning damage or harm. Used in everyday language, it can refer to physical destruction, financial loss, or non-material injury, depending on the context.

Etymology: Danno derives from Latin damnum through Old Italian. It is related to cognates in other Romance languages, such as Spanish daño. The plural form is danni, and the adjective form is dannoso.

In civil and health law, danno denotes the harm that grounds liability. Key categories include danno emergente (the actual loss or depreciation in value) and lucro cessante (the profits that would have been earned but for the event). In health-related contexts, danno biologico denotes bodily injury; danno morale denotes moral or psychological harm; danno ambientale covers environmental damage. Compensation for danno is called risarcimento del danno, and liability generally requires proof of causation and calculable damage.

Common phrases include danno subito (suffered damage), provocare danno (to cause damage), and dannoso (harmful). The term is widely used in insurance and contractual contexts, as well as in judicial settings to describe the scope of harm and the basis for compensation.

As a name, Danno can appear as a surname of Italian origin and is occasionally used as a given name in some contexts. The word’s core meaning remains damage or harm, with specialized senses evolving in legal and professional discourse.