strani

Strani is the masculine plural form of the Italian adjective strano, meaning strange, odd, or unfamiliar. It is used to describe masculine plural nouns, as in oggetti strani (strange objects) or luoghi strani (strange places). The feminine plural is strane; the singular forms are strano (masculine) and strana (feminine). The adverbial form is stranamente, used to describe actions in a way that is strange or unusual, for example, comportarsi stranamente.

Etymology and usage notes

The word is generally considered to derive from Latin extrāneus or extrānius, meaning external or foreign, and it entered Italian through vernacular development. In modern Italian, strani conveys a sense of unfamiliarity, oddity, or peculiarity and is a common descriptor in daily speech as well as literature.

Other uses and forms

Beyond its adjective function, strani can appear in various phrases to express that something is not typical or expected within a given context. It can also appear as a surname in Italian-speaking regions, though it is relatively uncommon.

In a broader linguistic context, cognates with similar forms exist in other languages that historically borrowed from Latin or share Indo-European roots for concepts related to foreignness or unfamiliarity. Despite superficial similarity across languages, meanings and gender/noun agreement can differ, so context is important for precise interpretation.