soprattutto

Soprattutto is an Italian adverb meaning above all, especially, or chiefly. It is used to emphasize the greater importance or relevance of one element within a clause. For example: Questo libro è interessante, soprattutto per i riferimenti storici.

Etymology and form: The word derives from sopra (above) and tutto (all). It began as the two-word phrase sopra tutto and later contracted into the single, standard form soprattuto, with the correct spelling soprattutto containing double t. Common misspellings such as soprattuto or sopratutto are incorrect in standard Italian.

Usage notes: Soprattutto is versatile and can appear at the beginning or inside a sentence. It can modify a verb, an adjective, or a noun phrase, or introduce the element being emphasized: Soprattutto in estate, le temperature salgono. It is frequent in formal and informal prose, journalism, literary writing, and academic Italian.

Translations and English usage: In English-language texts, soprattuto is rarely used outside of translations or discussions of Italian style; it is usually rendered as especially or above all. When quoted, it retains its Italian form but is typically translated to convey the emphasis it expresses in Italian.

See also: Italian language, adverbs, emphasis in language.