spavento

Spavento is an Italian noun meaning a sudden fright or scare, an acute emotional reaction of fear or alarm in response to a perceived threat or surprising event. It can describe both a brief moment of alarm and a stronger, but typically short-lived, feeling of panic. The term is widely used in everyday language to convey that someone was startled or that something caused a jolt of fear.

Etymology: The word derives from the verb spaventare, to frighten, with spavento representing the result or experience of being frightened.

Usage and nuance: Spavento is less formal than paura and usually denotes a transient shock rather than a sustained state of fear. Common expressions include prendersi uno spavento (to have a scare) and fare uno spavento (to give someone a scare). It can be qualified with adjectives to indicate intensity, such as spavento improvviso or spavento tremendo. In medical or psychological contexts, spavento is not a clinical term; it is described as an emotional reaction.

Cultural and linguistic notes: In Italian, spavento can also appear metaphorically to describe dramatic or unsettling situations, or to evoke mood in literature. It contrasts with paura (fear or anxiety) and terrore (terror), which denote longer-lasting or more intense states.

See also: Paura, Timore, Spaventare, Ansia.