limitati

Limitati is the masculine plural form of the Italian adjective limitato, meaning restricted, bounded, or finite. It describes things that have imposed constraints or a limited scope, such as quantities, resources, or opportunities. Common phrases include una disponibilità limitata (a limited availability) or gruppi limitati (restricted groups). The feminine forms are limitata (singular) and limitate (plural). The word derives from limitare, which in turn comes from Latin limes, meaning boundary or limit.

Usage and nuance: Limitati conveys that there is a defined cap or boundary on the item described. It is used in formal and everyday language to express constraint, contrast with illimitati (unlimited) or libero (free). In predicative use it can appear as I fondi sono limitati (the funds are limited) or Il numero di partecipanti è limitato (the number of participants is limited). In attributive use it compounds with a noun, e.g., budget limitati or aree limitate.

Notes on terminology: Limitati is primarily an adjective. Using limitati as a noun to refer to people (i limitati) is uncommon in modern Italian and can be considered offensive or stigmatizing; when needed, it is better to describe individuals by specific characteristics or use neutral terms such as persone con limitazioni.

Related terms: limitazione (limitation), limitare (to limit), illimitato (unlimited), limite (limit).

Limitati thus functions as a standard Italian descriptor for constrained scope and is widely understood in both written and spoken language.