This list includes 100 Italian words that start with O, from “o” to “ovvio”. They range from tiny function words to common verbs and everyday adjectives. Use it to learn vocabulary, find example sentences, or support translation and teaching.
Italian words that start with O are a varied set including verbs, adjectives, particles, and loanwords. The single-letter word “o” is common in poetry and everyday speech as “or”.
Below you’ll find the table with Italian word, part of speech, English translation, and example usage.
Italian word: The headword in standard spelling; you use it to find the base lemma and study its forms.
Part of speech: Shows whether the entry is a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, or particle, helping you sort word function.
English translation: A concise one-phrase gloss that gives the closest common English meaning for quick reference during study.
Example usage: A short Italian sentence followed by an immediate English gloss so you see real context and meaning.
Italian words that start with O
| Word | English meaning | Part of speech | Example usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| o | or | conjunction | Vuoi tè o caffè? — Do you want tea or coffee? |
| oggi | today | adverb | Oggi vado al mercato. — Today I go to the market. |
| ora | now/hour | noun/adverb | Ora telefono a Marco. — Now I call Marco. |
| occhio | eye/watch out | noun | Occhio al gradino! — Watch out for the step! |
| occhiale | eyeglass | noun | Ho perso l’occhiale. — I lost the eyeglass. |
| occasione | occasion/opportunity | noun | Questa è un’ottima occasione. — This is a great opportunity. |
| occidente | west/West | noun | L’Occidente cambia rapido. — The West changes fast. |
| occidentale | western | adjective | Cucina occidentale nel ristorante. — Western cuisine in the restaurant. |
| occorrere | to be necessary | verb | Occorre più tempo. — More time is needed. |
| occupare | to occupy | verb | Hanno occupato la casa. — They occupied the house. |
| occupazione | occupation/job | noun | Cerca un’occupazione stabile. — He seeks a stable job. |
| occupato | busy/occupied | adjective | Il bagno è occupato. — The bathroom is occupied. |
| odiare | to hate | verb | Lo odio. — I hate him. |
| odio | hate | noun | L’odio non aiuta. — Hate doesn’t help. |
| odore | smell/odor | noun | C’è un cattivo odore. — There is a bad smell. |
| odorare | to smell | verb | Il fiore odora bene. — The flower smells nice. |
| odioso | hateful/annoying | adjective | È un compito odioso. — It’s an annoying task. |
| odierno | today’s/of today | adjective | La situazione odierna è complessa. — Today’s situation is complex. |
| olandese | Dutch | adjective/noun | Parlo olandese. — I speak Dutch. |
| olio | oil | noun | Aggiungi olio all’insalata. — Add oil to the salad. |
| oliva | olive | noun | Mangio un’oliva. — I eat an olive. |
| omino | little man/figure | noun | C’è un omino sul cartello. — There’s a little man on the sign. |
| ombra | shadow/shade | noun | Cerca l’ombra. — Look for the shade. |
| ombroso | shady/sullen | adjective | È una persona ombrosa. — He is a sullen person. |
| omeopatia | homeopathy | noun | L’omeopatia è controversa. — Homeopathy is controversial. |
| omicidio | murder | noun | Lo hanno arrestato per omicidio. — He was arrested for murder. |
| omogeneo | homogeneous | adjective | Campione omogeneo nel laboratorio. — Homogeneous sample in the lab. |
| ominoso | ominous | adjective | Un rumore ominoso alle scale. — An ominous noise on the stairs. |
| onda | wave | noun | L’onda ha raggiunto la spiaggia. — The wave reached the beach. |
| ondeggiare | to sway | verb | Le barche ondeggiano. — The boats are swaying. |
| ondoso | wavy | adjective | Capelli ondosi oggi. — Wavy hair today. |
| onesto | honest | adjective | È una persona onesta. — He is an honest person. |
| onestà | honesty | noun | L’onestà conta molto. — Honesty matters a lot. |
| onice | onyx | noun | Anello di onice nero. — Ring of black onyx. |
| ondata | wave/surge | noun | Un’ondata di caldo arriva. — A heatwave arrives. |
| onore | honor | noun | È un onore conoscerti. — It’s an honor to meet you. |
| onorare | to honor | verb | Onoriamo i caduti. — We honor the fallen. |
| onorevole | honorable/MP | noun/adjective | L’onorevole ha parlato oggi. — The MP spoke today. |
| orecchio | ear | noun | Ho mal d’orecchio. — I have an earache. |
| orecchino | earring | noun | Porta un orecchino d’argento. — She wears a silver earring. |
| orfano | orphan | noun/adjective | Rimase orfano da bambino. — He became orphaned as a child. |
| organico | staff/organic | noun/adjective | L’organico aziendale è stabile. — The company’s staff is stable. |
| organizzare | to organize | verb | Organizzo la festa domani. — I organize the party tomorrow. |
| organizzazione | organization | noun | L’organizzazione è efficiente. — The organization is efficient. |
| organizzato | organized | adjective | È molto organizzato. — He is very organized. |
| organismo | organism/organization | noun | Il corpo è un organismo complesso. — The body is a complex organism. |
| orologio | clock/watch | noun | L’orologio segna le tre. — The clock shows three o’clock. |
| orologeria | watch shop/watchmaking | noun | Ho portato l’orologio all’orologeria. — I took the watch to the shop. |
| orma | footprint/track | noun | Ho visto un’orma sulla sabbia. — I saw a footprint in the sand. |
| ormeggio | mooring | noun | L’ormeggio è libero. — The mooring is free. |
| ormone | hormone | noun | Gli ormoni cambiano l’umore. — Hormones change mood. |
| orrore | horror/terror | noun | L’orrore del film è forte. — The film’s horror is intense. |
| orribile | horrible | adjective | Quella scena è orribile. — That scene is horrible. |
| oriente | east/Orient | noun | Viaggia verso l’oriente. — He travels toward the east. |
| orientale | eastern | adjective | Stile orientale nel design. — Eastern style in the design. |
| orientare | to orient/guide | verb | Orientiamo i nuovi studenti. — We guide the new students. |
| orizzonte | horizon | noun | Si scorge l’orizzonte. — You can see the horizon. |
| orizzontale | horizontal | adjective | Linea orizzontale nel grafico. — Horizontal line on the chart. |
| originale | original | adjective | Questo è l’originale. — This is the original. |
| originalità | originality | noun | Apprezzo la tua originalità. — I appreciate your originality. |
| origine | origin | noun | Qual è l’origine del testo? — What is the text’s origin? |
| orina | urine | noun | Porta il campione di orina. — Bring the urine sample. |
| orlare | to hem/edge | verb | Ha orlato il vestito. — She hemmed the dress. |
| orso | bear | noun | Abbiamo intravisto un orso. — We glimpsed a bear. |
| ortaggio | vegetable | noun | Mangia più ortaggi. — Eat more vegetables. |
| ortopedia | orthopedics | noun | Lo visite in ortopedia domani. — He has orthopedics appointment tomorrow. |
| ortodosso | orthodox | adjective | Pratica riti ortodossi. — He practices Orthodox rites. |
| orto | vegetable garden | noun | Coltivo pomodori nell’orto. — I grow tomatoes in the garden. |
| osare | to dare | verb | Non osare dirlo! — Don’t you dare say that! |
| ossequioso | obsequious | adjective | Il suo tono è ossequioso. — His tone is obsequious. |
| osso | bone | noun | Mi sono rotto un osso. — I broke a bone. |
| ossigeno | oxygen | noun | Respiriamo ossigeno dall’aria. — We breathe oxygen from air. |
| ossido | oxide | noun | Ruggine è un ossido del ferro. — Rust is an iron oxide. |
| ossessione | obsession | noun | Ha un’ossessione per il controllo. — He has an obsession with control. |
| ostacolo | obstacle | noun | Supera ogni ostacolo. — He overcomes every obstacle. |
| ostello | hostel | noun | Ho prenotato un ostello. — I booked a hostel. |
| ostentare | to flaunt | verb | Non ostentare le ricchezze. — Don’t flaunt your riches. |
| ostile | hostile | adjective | Ambiente ostile alla creatività. — Environment hostile to creativity. |
| ostinato | stubborn/persistent | adjective | È ostinato nelle sue idee. — He is stubborn in his ideas. |
| ostilità | hostility | noun | Emerge ostilità tra i gruppi. — Hostility emerges between groups. |
| ottavo | eighth | adjective/numeral | È il mio ottavo compleanno. — It’s my eighth birthday. |
| otto | eight | numeral | Ho otto libri. — I have eight books. |
| ottobre | October | noun | Il festival arriva a ottobre. — The festival arrives in October. |
| ottimista | optimistic/optimist | adjective/noun | Sono ottimista per domani. — I’m optimistic about tomorrow. |
| ottimizzare | to optimize | verb | Ottimizziamo il sito web. — We optimize the website. |
| ottimo | excellent | adjective | Hai fatto un ottimo lavoro. — You did an excellent job. |
| ottuso | dull/obtuse | adjective | Non essere ottuso, ascolta. — Don’t be obtuse, listen. |
| ovviamente | obviously | adverb | Ovviamente accetto l’invito. — Obviously I accept the invitation. |
| ovvio | obvious | adjective | È ovvio il risultato. — The result is obvious. |
| ovunque | everywhere | adverb | Lo cerco ovunque. — I look for it everywhere. |
| ovvero | that is/that is to say | conjunction | Ovvero, cosa intendi? — Or rather, what do you mean? |
| ovest | west | noun | Abito a ovest della città. — I live west of the city. |
| ovale | oval | adjective | Ha un viso ovale. — She has an oval face. |
| ovatta | cotton wool | noun | Pulire con un po’ di ovatta. — Clean with some cotton wool. |
| ovulo | ovum/egg cell | noun | L’ovulo viene fecondato. — The ovum is fertilized. |
| ovulazione | ovulation | noun | L’ovulazione è nel ciclo femminile. — Ovulation is in the female cycle. |
| ovoide | ovoid/egg-shaped | adjective | Forma ovoide del seme. — Egg-shaped form of the seed. |
| oviparo | oviparous | adjective | I polli sono ovipari. — Chickens are oviparous. |
| ovazione | ovation | noun | Ricevette una grande ovazione. — He received a big ovation. |
| ovario | ovary | noun | Dolore all’ovaio destro. — Pain in the right ovary. |
Descriptions
o
Fundamental coordinating conjunction for alternatives; extremely common (A1).
oggi
Very frequent time adverb, basic vocabulary (A1).
ora
Common word for time or “now”; useful (A1).
occhio
Literal “eye” and colloquial warning “watch out”; common (A1).
occhiale
Singular form of glasses; everyday object (A2).
occasione
Common noun for events or chances (B1).
occidente
Used geographically or culturally; common (B2).
occidentale
Describes origin or style (B2).
occorrere
Impersonal verb meaning “to be necessary”; formal-ish (B2).
occupare
Common verb for taking space or jobs (B1).
occupazione
Can mean job or occupation (B2).
occupato
Everyday adjective (A1).
odiare
Strong verb; common in expressions (B1).
odio
Abstract noun for strong dislike (B2).
odore
Basic sensory noun (A2).
odorare
Action of emitting smell; common verb (B1).
odioso
Used for unpleasant people or things (B2).
odierno
Formal adjective meaning “current” (B2).
olandese
Nationality or language adjective/noun (B2).
olio
Common cooking ingredient (A1).
oliva
Food vocabulary (B1).
omino
Diminutive, colloquial; often on pictograms (B1).
ombra
Everyday noun, literal and figurative (A2).
ombroso
Describes mood or shady place (B2).
omeopatia
Medical/alternative-medicine term (B2).
omicidio
Legal/criminal term (B2).
omogeneo
Scientific/technical adjective (B2).
ominoso
Describes threatening atmosphere (B2).
onda
Physical or figurative wave (B1).
ondeggiare
Describes movement on water or otherwise (B2).
ondoso
Describes shape or movement (B1).
onesto
Common personality adjective (B1).
onestà
Abstract moral noun (B2).
onice
Gemstone term (rare).
ondata
Used for sudden increases or waves (B2).
onore
Formal/social noun (B2).
onorare
Ceremonial verb (B2).
onorevole
Title for parliamentarians; formal (B2).
orecchio
Body-part vocabulary (A1).
orecchino
Common accessory (B1).
orfano
Social/family term (B2).
organico
Means both “organic” and “staff” (B2).
organizzare
Everyday verb (B1).
organizzazione
Institutional noun (B2).
organizzato
Personal quality (B1).
organismo
Biological or institutional meaning (B2).
orologio
Common household item (A1).
orologeria
Specialized shop or craft (B2).
orma
Literary or everyday for tracks (B2).
ormeggio
Maritime term (B2, regional in ports).
ormone
Biological term (B2).
orrore
Emotion or genre (B2).
orribile
Common descriptive adjective (B1).
oriente
Geographical/cultural term (B2).
orientale
Descriptive adjective (B2).
orientare
Used for guidance or orientation (B2).
orizzonte
Literal or figurative horizon (B2).
orizzontale
Technical/descriptive adjective (B2).
originale
Common adjective meaning authentic or innovative (B2).
originalità
Creative quality (B2).
origine
Common abstract noun (B2).
orina
Medical term (B2).
orlare
Sewing verb (B2, somewhat specialized).
orso
Animal vocabulary (B1).
ortaggio
Food vocabulary (B1).
ortopedia
Medical specialty (B2).
ortodosso
Religious or formal adjective (B2).
orto
Common rural/food term (B1).
osare
Common verb for daring actions (B1).
ossequioso
Polite/formal negative connotation (B2).
osso
Basic body vocabulary (B1).
ossigeno
Scientific/biological term (B1).
ossido
Chemistry term (B2).
ossessione
Psychological/common metaphor (B2).
ostacolo
Common metaphorical or literal noun (B1).
ostello
Accommodation vocabulary for travelers (B1).
ostentare
Social behavior verb (B2).
ostile
Descriptive adjective (B2).
ostinato
Personality or musical term (B2).
ostilità
Social/political noun (B2).
ottavo
Ordinal numeral (A2).
otto
Basic numeral (A1).
ottobre
Month name (A1).
ottimista
Personality or attitude (B1).
ottimizzare
Technical/business verb (B2).
ottimo
Common adjective for praise (B1).
ottuso
Negative descriptor (B2).
ovviamente
Common discourse marker (B1).
ovvio
Basic adjective (A2).
ovunque
Common adverb (B1).
ovvero
Clarifying conjunction (B2).
ovest
Geographical direction (B1).
ovale
Shape adjective (B1).
ovatta
Everyday toiletry material (B2).
ovulo
Biological term (B2).
ovulazione
Medical/reproductive term (B2).
ovoide
Descriptive shape adjective (B2).
oviparo
Biology descriptor for egg-laying animals (B2).
ovazione
Cultural/event term (B2).
ovario
Medical anatomy term (B2)