divorare

Divorare is an Italian verb meaning to devour or to swallow something quickly and greedily. It is used for literal eating, as in divoro una pizza, and also metaphorically to indicate consuming something in large amounts or with great speed, such as time, money, or attention.

Divorare derives from Latin devorare, from vorare “to swallow” with a prefix that emphasizes completeness. In Italian it is a regular -are verb and takes avere as its auxiliary in compound tenses: ho divorato, avevo divorato, etc. The present indicative forms are: io divoro, tu divori, lui/lei divora, noi divoriamo, voi divorate, loro divorano.

Usage notes and examples: It is transitive and requires a direct object. Common phrases include divoro un libro (I devour a book) and divoro una pizza (I devour a pizza). Figurative uses include divorare tempo (to consume time) and divorare risorse (to squander resources). In English, the verb is translated as “to devour” and is often used to convey extreme appetite or urgent consumption. Synonyms in Italian include mangiare voracemente and inghiottire, while related contrasts may use gustare or assaporare for slower, savoring eating.