dolore

Dolore is the Italian noun for pain, encompassing both physical discomfort and emotional distress. It is a masculine singular noun, with the plural dolori. In everyday use it can refer to sensations such as a headache or abdominal ache, as well as feelings such as sorrow or grief. In medical contexts dolore describes a subjective sensation reported by a patient, while in literature and conversation it often signals suffering or loss.

Etymology and related terms: Dolore derives from Latin dolor, and it has cognates in other Romance languages, including Spanish dolor, French douleur, and Portuguese dor. In English, the historical forms dolor or dolour reflect the same ancient root. In Italian, dolori can appear in a range of expressions that specify type, location, or quality of pain.

Usage and expressions: Common medical phrases include dolore acuto (acute pain), dolore cronico (chronic pain), and dolore riferito (referred pain). Figurative uses describe emotional states, such as dolore intenso (intense pain) or dolore morale (moral or psychological pain). The word also appears in poetry and prose as a theme of human suffering, loss, and longing, reinforcing its role in conveying deep, personal experience.

See also concepts of pain and sorrow in language and culture. While dolore is primarily an Italian term, its cognates in other Romance languages reflect a shared historical notion of physical and emotional hardship.