laggettivo

Laggettivo is not a standard linguistic term; in Italian grammar the word for "the adjective" is l'aggettivo. The form laggettivo appears to be a misspelling or informal variant. This article summarizes how Italian adjectives function in contemporary usage.

An aggettivo modifies a noun or pronoun by expressing a property, quality, or relation. It provides information about the noun it accompanies and helps specify meaning within a sentence. Adjectives can also describe inherent characteristics or temporary states.

In Italian, adjectives typically agree with the noun in gender and number. Most masculine singular adjectives end in -o, feminine singular in -a; masculine plural in -i, feminine plural in -e. Adjectives ending in -e have the same form for both genders in the singular and take -i in the plural (e.g., interessante, interessanti). Some word classes, such as color adjectives or -ista adjectives, behave irregularly or preserve specific endings in certain contexts.

Position relative to the noun affects nuance. Most adjectives follow the noun: una casa grande, una mano rossa. A subset tends to precede the noun to convey emphasis or subjective evaluation (bello, buono, nuovo, grande in certain contexts, altro). Predicative use is common after essere or other linking verbs: la casa è grande.

Degrees of comparison are formed with più/meno plus the adjective or with the definite structure il più/il meno + adjective. Irregular comparatives exist, such as buono → migliore → il migliore; cattivo → peggiore → il peggiore.

Etymology: l’aggettivo derives from Latin adjectivus. See also grammar, adjectives, Italian language.

Note: while laggettivo is sometimes encountered in informal writing, the standard term is l’aggettivo.