peccato

Peccato is the Italian noun for sin or fault. It derives from the Latin peccatum, from peccare “to sin” or “to err,” and is used in religious, moral, and secular contexts. In Catholic theology, peccato denotes a violation of God's law and an offense against divine will.

In Catholic doctrine, sins are classified as peccati mortali (mortal sins) and peccati veniali (venial sins). A mortal sin is a grave act committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent, which ruptures the relationship with God and requires confession and absolution to be reconciled. Venial sins are lesser faults that weaken charity but do not break the covenant, though they should be amended and confessed when possible. The concept of peccato originale, or original sin, refers to humanity's fallen state inherited from Adam and Eve and is not a personal fault but a condition from which baptism is believed to redeem believers.

Outside strict theology, peccato can denote general wrongdoing or fault and is used metaphorically in everyday language, as in “che peccato” meaning “what a pity” or “what a shame.” The term appears in literature, liturgy, and moral discourse, and remains a standard word in Italian for moral or religious wrongdoing.