italienne

Italienne is the feminine form of the French adjective italien, used to indicate relation to Italy or Italian origin and applied to feminine nouns. As a demonym, it also serves to refer to a woman from Italy or of Italian descent, with the masculine form being Italien.

In usage, Italienne functions as an adjective that agrees with the noun it modifies. Examples include la cuisine italienne (Italian cuisine), la mode italienne (Italian fashion), and une voiture italienne (an Italian car). When referring to people, one can say une Italienne to denote a woman of Italian nationality or ethnicity, while the corresponding masculine noun is un Italien.

Its etymology traces to Latin Italia, through French formations such as italien/italienne. The term appears broadly in cultural and linguistic contexts to describe Italian characteristics, products, or heritage, and can also appear in compound expressions that identify a feminine aspect of Italian-related topics, such as arts, literature, or regional styles when the noun is feminine.

Notes on usage: Italienne is not typically used as a proper noun; it functions as an adjective or demonym within standard French grammar. In languages other than French, equivalent terms exist, but the specific feminine form Italienne is characteristic of French gender agreement. The masculine counterpart is Italien, and both forms follow regular French adjective conjugation patterns.