perduta

Perduta is the feminine singular form of the Italian adjective perduto and of its past participle used in passive constructions. It describes something that has been lost, misplaced, or no longer accessible, when the subject is feminine. It can modify feminine nouns, as in la chiave perduta (the key that is lost), or function predicatively in sentences such as la strada perduta era irrecuperabile. Figurative uses are common in poetry and prose, including expressions like anima perduta (lost soul).

Etymology and related forms: Perduta originates from Latin perdere, meaning “to lose,” with the participle perdutus passing into Italian via Vulgar Latin. The noun form perdita denotes loss or waste, while perduto remains the masculine form of the adjective or participle. The language therefore features gendered variants that align with the grammatical gender of the modified noun.

Usage and context: In everyday Italian, perduta appears mainly in descriptive or literary language. It is also used as a thematic or evocative title in some Italian media to suggest absence, nostalgia, or peril linked to loss. In religious or moral contexts, the phrase anima perduta is used poetically to denote a lost or wayward soul.

See also: Related forms include perdita (loss), perduto (lost), and the general root perder- from which perduta derives. These terms share a common semantic field centered on losing, absence, and absence’s emotional or narrative weight.