incarticato

Incarticato is an Italian adjective and the past participle form of the verb incartare. It is used to describe an object that has been wrapped or packaged. In everyday Italian, the more common form is incartato; incarticato is relatively rare and tends to appear in regional writing, poetic usage, or as a stylistic variant. It is not widely attested in standard dictionaries, and many speakers would favor incartato in ordinary speech.

Etymology and sense

The term derives from the verb incartare, meaning to wrap in paper or packaging. It combines the prefix in- with carta (paper) and the participial suffix -ato. The meaning is closely related to incartato, but incarticato can carry a nuance of the wrapping being thorough or completed, depending on context and authorial intention.

Usage

In practical use, incarticato can modify nouns referring to wrapped objects, especially when a writer seeks a slightly elevated or emphatic tone. Examples include: Il pacco incarticato con cura. Il regalo incarticato è pronto per la consegna. In standard prose, however, incartato remains the preferred form.

Relation to related terms

Incarticato is connected to incartare (the verb) and to incartato (the more common past participle). It is also distinct from incaricato, which means “appointed” or “in charge of,” though their similarity in spelling can cause occasional confusion in text.

See also

Incartare, incartato, incaricato.