dite

Dite is a word in the Italian language, most commonly encountered as a verb form of the verb dire, meaning “to say” or “to tell.” It appears in two grammatical contexts: as the second-person plural present indicative form (voi dite, you say/you tell) and as the imperative form used to address a group (Dite! or “Tell [the truth]”). For example, in the sentence Dite la verità, “Tell the truth,” dite functions as the command directed at multiple people.

Etymology and usage

Dite derives from the Latin verb dicere, via the evolution of Italian from Latin. The form reflects standard Italian conjugation patterns for -ere verbs, where the second-person plural present indicative ends in -ete, and the imperative forms align with the same stem. Dite is not capitalized in ordinary text unless it begins a sentence; a capitalized Dite may appear when used as a proper noun or acronym in other contexts, but such uses are distinct from the verb form and are not tied to a single, widely recognized meaning.

Other uses and notes

Beyond its grammatical role in Italian, dite can appear in multilingual contexts as an acronym or as part of a proper name in rare cases. In English-language discussions, however, dite is most often encountered as a reference to the Italian verb form rather than a separate concept. When encountered in texts, its meaning is usually clear from surrounding Italian grammar.

See also

Dire, Italian verb forms, Italian grammar.