utenti

Utente is the Italian noun for "user" and designates a person who uses a thing or service, from devices and software to facilities or systems. The plural form is utenti. The term is widely used in technology, consumer services, and everyday language to refer to individuals who interact with a product or service.

Etymology and usage context: Utente derives from the verb usare (to use) with the agentive suffix -ente, forming a word that means "one who uses." The term is common across disciplines to indicate the primary actor in a system or service, as opposed to developers, administrators, or providers.

In information technology and software, an utente typically has an account and may assume different roles, such as end-user or administrator. User management covers provisioning (creating and enabling accounts), authentication (verifying identity), authorization (granting permissions), and lifecycle management (updates and deactivation). Terms of service, privacy notices, and security policies define the expected conduct and responsibilities of utenti.

In legal and regulatory contexts, the term is used to describe a person who interacts with a service. In data protection and privacy frameworks, the user may be treated as a data subject with rights related to access, correction, deletion, and data portability, depending on jurisdiction and applicable law.

Beyond IT, the word is also used in everyday Italian to refer to customers or beneficiaries of goods and services, such as library users, public-service users, or consumers of electronic devices.

See also: Usability, User experience, Identity management, Data subject, Access control.