ítem

Ítem is a loanword used in Spanish and, in some contexts, other Romance languages, to denote a single entry or article within a larger set such as a list, inventory, invoice, or questionnaire. In Spanish, the term is common in business, academic, and administrative language, with examples like un ítem de la factura (an item on the invoice) or ítems de un examen (exam questions). The plural form is ítems, and the accent on í guides pronunciation.

Etymology and meaning: The word derives from Latin item, meaning “also, likewise” or “in addition.” From this sense, it entered the Romance languages to mark an individual element in enumerations or lists. In modern usage, ítem generally refers to a discrete element within a collection, whether a line item on a bill, a catalog entry, a survey or test question, or a data field in a form or database.

Usage and variants: In Spanish, ítem is used across settings such as commerce, education, and administration. The term is typically behind a countable number of items and commonly appears with the plural ítems. In English, the equivalent is item, usually without any diacritic, and used in similar contexts. In other languages, orthography may differ, with some adapting or retaining diacritics according to local spelling rules.

See also: list, inventory, invoice, questionnaire, catalog, dataset.