This list includes 40 Italian words that start with K, from “K.O.” to “kyanite (loanword)”. These entries are mostly modern loanwords, abbreviations, brand names, and technical terms that appear in conversation, media, and specialist contexts.
Italian words that start with K are mostly adopted from other languages or formed as abbreviations, rather than native Italian roots. Historically K is uncommon in Italian, so words with K often signal foreign origin, like “ketchup” or “karaoke.”
Below you’ll find the table with “Italian word”, “English translation”, and “Example usage”.
Italian word: The headword as used in Italian, shown in standard orthography so you can recognize it in texts.
English translation: A concise one-phrase equivalent that helps you understand basic meaning and choose the right context.
Example usage: A sample Italian sentence with an immediate English gloss so you see real usage and translation at a glance.
Italian words that start with K
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| karaoke (loanword) | noun | sing-along entertainment | Facciamo karaoke stasera. / Let’s do karaoke tonight. |
| kebab (loanword) | noun | Middle Eastern grilled meat sandwich | Ho mangiato un kebab veloce. / I ate a quick kebab. |
| ketchup (loanword) | noun | tomato condiment | Metti il ketchup sulle patatine. / Put ketchup on the fries. |
| kiwi (loanword) | noun | fruit; also bird | Il kiwi è maturo. / The kiwi is ripe. |
| kimono (loanword) | noun | traditional Japanese robe | Indossava un kimono elegante. / She wore an elegant kimono. |
| kayak (loanword) | noun | small, narrow boat | Facciamo kayak sul lago. / Let’s kayak on the lake. |
| kit (loanword) | noun | set of tools or components | Ho comprato un kit di riparazione. / I bought a repair kit. |
| kilo | noun | kilogram (informal) | Costa tre euro al kilo. / It costs three euros per kilo. |
| killer (loanword) | noun | assassin; figuratively standout performer | Quel film è un killer commerciale. / That film is a commercial hit. |
| kermesse (loanword) | noun | public festival or fundraiser | La kermesse raccolse fondi. / The fair raised funds. |
| karma (loanword) | noun | spiritual cause–effect principle | Crede nel karma della vita. / She believes in life’s karma. |
| kamikaze (loanword) | noun | suicide attacker; reckless act | È stato un gesto kamikaze. / It was a kamikaze act. |
| kaki (loanword) | noun | persimmon; also tan color | Ho comprato dei kaki dolci. / I bought sweet persimmons. |
| karate (loanword) | noun | martial art | Pratico karate due volte a settimana. / I practice karate twice weekly. |
| kappa | noun | Greek letter or brand name | Nella formula compare la kappa. / Kappa appears in the formula. |
| kilt (loanword) | noun | traditional Scottish skirt | Portava il kilt alla cerimonia. / He wore the kilt at the ceremony. |
| kafkiano | adj. | Kafkaesque, absurdly oppressive | La burocrazia è kafkiana. / The bureaucracy is Kafkaesque. |
| kantiano | adj. | relating to philosopher Kant | Il suo pensiero è kantiano. / His thought is Kantian. |
| klezmer (loanword) | noun | Jewish musical tradition | Ascoltiamo klezmer stasera. / We listen to klezmer music tonight. |
| kimchi (loanword) | noun | Korean fermented cabbage dish | Ho provato il kimchi piccante. / I tried spicy kimchi. |
| krill (loanword) | noun | small shrimp-like marine crustacean | I krill sono fondamentali per l’ecosistema. / Krill are vital for the ecosystem. |
| kosher (loanword) | adj. | fit according to Jewish law; permitted | Questa carne è kosher certificata. / This meat is certified kosher. |
| koinè (loanword) | noun | common lingua or shared dialect | La koinè favorì lo scambio culturale. / The koinè favored cultural exchange. |
| Kiev | prop. noun | city, former capital of Ukraine | Kiev è una grande città storica. / Kiev is a large historic city. |
| Kuwait | prop. noun | country in the Arabian Peninsula | Il petrolio del Kuwait è strategico. / Kuwait’s oil is strategic. |
| Kafka | prop. noun | writer Franz Kafka | Sto rileggendo Kafka quest’estate. / I’m rereading Kafka this summer. |
| Kant | prop. noun | philosopher Immanuel Kant | Studiamo Kant in filosofia moderna. / We study Kant in modern philosophy. |
| kiosk (loanword) | noun | small newsstand or booth | Il giornale si compra al kiosk. / The paper is bought at the kiosk. |
| kibbutz (loanword) | noun | communal Israeli settlement | Hanno visitato un kibbutz in Israele. / They visited a kibbutz in Israel. |
| kerosene (loanword) | noun | fuel oil; aviation fuel | Hanno rifornito il motore di kerosene. / They refueled the engine with kerosene. |
| koala (loanword) | noun | Australian tree-dwelling marsupial | Il koala dorme sugli eucalipti. / The koala sleeps in eucalypts. |
| kayakista (loanword) | noun | person who practices kayaking | È un kayakista esperto. / He is an experienced kayaker. |
| K.O. | abbr. | knockout in combat sports | Ha subito un K.O. al terzo round. / He suffered a KO in the third round. |
| kudos (loanword) | noun | praise; public acclaim | Ha ricevuto molti kudos per il progetto. / He received much praise for the project. |
| koine | noun | alternative spelling of koinè | La koine fu lingua franca antica. / The koine was an ancient lingua franca. |
| Kraft | prop. noun | brand name (proper noun) | Bevande Kraft sono sullo scaffale. / Kraft beverages are on the shelf. |
| karst (loanword) | noun | limestone landscape and formations | Il paesaggio carsico è ricco di grotte. / The karst landscape is rich in caves. |
| karateka (loanword) | noun | karate practitioner | Il karateka ha vinto la medaglia. / The karateka won the medal. |
| kuwaitiano | adj. | relating to Kuwait | Un contratto kuwaitiano è stato firmato. / A Kuwaiti contract was signed. |
| kyanite (loanword) | noun | mineral used in geology/jewelry | La kyanite ha un bel colore blu. / The kyanite has a nice blue color. |
Descriptions
karaoke (loanword)
Very common Japanese loanword; informal entertainment (A1–B1).
kebab (loanword)
Popular street food term; widely understood (A1–B1).
ketchup (loanword)
Very common English loanword for sauce (A1).
kiwi (loanword)
Common fruit name (A1); from Māori; bird sense rare.
kimono (loanword)
Fashion/ceremonial term (B1); Japanese origin.
kayak (loanword)
Common sport/outdoor word (B1); from Inuit.
kit (loanword)
Very common in compounds (A2); English origin.
kilo
Everyday short form for kilogram (A1); informal.
killer (loanword)
English loanword used literal and figurative (B2).
kermesse (loanword)
From French; used for local events and shows (B2).
karma (loanword)
Common spiritual term (B1); from Sanskrit via English.
kamikaze (loanword)
Japanese loan; used metaphorically (B2).
kaki (loanword)
Fruit name and color term (B1); Japanese origin.
karate (loanword)
Common sport word (A2); Japanese origin.
kappa
Letter name and commercial brand; moderate frequency (B2).
kilt (loanword)
Fashion/traditional garment term (B2).
kafkiano
Literary adjective from Kafka; common in critique (C1).
kantiano
Academic adjective; used in philosophy (C1).
klezmer (loanword)
Music-genre term; cultural loanword (B2).
kimchi (loanword)
Increasingly common culinary loanword (B2).
krill (loanword)
Scientific but used in general nature contexts (B2).
kosher (loanword)
Religious/culinary term; common in food contexts (B2).
koinè (loanword)
Linguistic term from Greek; academic/general use (C1).
Kiev
Proper noun; historically common in Italian (B1); now Kyiv also used.
Kuwait
Proper noun; common in news/travel (B1).
Kafka
Proper noun; widely known author (C1).
Kant
Proper noun; common in academic contexts (C1).
kiosk (loanword)
Less common variant of chiosco; loanword (B2).
kibbutz (loanword)
Cultural/political term; common in travel reports (B2).
kerosene (loanword)
Variant spelling of cherosene; technical but known (B2).
koala (loanword)
Common animal name (B1).
kayakista (loanword)
Derived sports term; used in outdoor contexts (B2).
K.O.
Established sports abbreviation; common in reporting (B1).
kudos (loanword)
Informal English loan used colloquially (B2).
koine
Variant orthography; same meaning as koinè (C1).
Kraft
Proper noun (brand); used in commercial contexts (B1).
karst (loanword)
Geologic term used in geography (B2).
karateka (loanword)
Derived term used in sports (B2).
kuwaitiano
Adjectival form of Kuwait; used in reports (B2)
kyanite (loanword)
Specific mineral name; occasional in geology/jewelry (C2)