1277 assenza absence (cognate). When you see double consonants, try replacing the first one with a plosive consonant, i.e. p, t, k, b, d, or g. With this rule, you’ll know this word cannot be the cognate with English ascent (which would be ascesa or ascensione in Italian). Example, una risposta automatica in assenza dal lavoro (“an automatic response when away from work”).

1559 acquisire to acquire, to obtain. Related to acquistare (“to buy”, “to purchase”, comprare); they are both from the same Latin etymon and are cognate with acquire. The two words have a subtle difference in meaning. To remember which is which, as a mnemonic, think of the 3rd last letter a in acquistare as the 3rd last letter a of comprare, while acquisire does not have this a. Example, Microsoft ha acquisito Skype per 8,5 miliardi di dollari (“Microsoft acquired Skype for US$8.5 billion”).

2000 sperimentazione experiment, experimentation. 2414 sperimentale experimental. 2707 sperimentare to experiment; to experience. From Latin experimentum (“experiment”, “test”; “experience”). Note the verb sperimentare can mean either “to experiment” or “to experience” depending on the context, as in in some other Romance languages (Spanish experimentar, French expérimenter, etc.). But the derived noun sperimentazione only means “experiment” (to say “experience”, use esperienza instead), and the adjective sperimentale only means “experimental” (to say “experienced”, use esperto instead). Examples, sperimentare un metodo diverso (“to experiment a different method”); sperimentare una vita diversa (“to experience a different life”).

2180 finora so far, up to now, hitherto. From fino (“until”) + ora (“now”). In many languages in the world, not limited to Indo-Europeans, the literal English equivalent of until now properly means “so far”. English is quite unique about the word until or till especially in a negative sentence; we don’t know the answer till now implies that we know it now (although we didn’t is better than we don’t), while its literal translation in many other languages actually means we still don’t know it even now, or so far we don’t know it. For this reason, the definitions given here do not include “until now” as most dictionaries do. Example, finora nessuno sa perché (“so far nobody knows why”; translating finora as “until now” sounds foreign and may cause confusion, especially if you place it at the end, but “up to now” or even “up until now” is OK).

2471 od or, o. This word is the same as o except it is used before an /o/ sound for euphonic reasons. But this rule, or rather, advisory, has increasingly been ignored in the past decades, unlike ad for a before /a/ and ed for e before /e/. Example, sette od otto / o otto (“seven or eight”).

2472 privare to deprive. 2526 privo di without, devoid of, -less. The verb privare is from Latin privare (“to deprive”), from Latin privus (“private”; “single”). The adjective privo is from Latin privus. Cognate with private, privy, Spanish privar and French priver (“to deprive”), and the root of deprive. English deprivate can be traced to Latin deprivare, i.e. the prefix de- already existed in Latin, indicating an action of leaving off or setting away. Examples, privare un criminale del diritto di possedere un’arma (“to deprive a criminal of the right to own a gun”); privo di senso (“meaningless”); privo di sensi (“unconscious”; note the plural sensi, loosing all senses = unconscious).

2547 entità entity; extent (of damage etc.), size (of population). Note the second meaning; in philosophy, especially scholastic philosophy, an entity is something that takes space i.e. has an extension, as distinct from something that does not, such as a soul. In philosophy, both entità and ente mean “entity”, but ente may be more abstract and sometimes is translated as “being”. Both words can refer to an organization or institution. Examples, di molta / poca entità (“of great extent / size / importance”); entità del danno (“extent of damage”).

2826 ricoprire to cover, to cover again; to hold (a position); to fill (a role). From ri- + coprire (“to cover”). When used literally, prefix ri- does not always mean “again”, although theoretically it does. When used figuratively, think of English cover and fill in in “I have to go early today. Can you cover for me?”, “John is filling in for Jack, who is sick”. Examples, le nuvole ricoprono / coprono il cielo (“clouds cover the sky”); ricoprire un ruolo / un ufficio (“to fill a role / hold an office”).

3064 finché (conj.) while, as long as, (in negative clause) until. From fino (“until”) + che. Unlike fino (followed by a), which truly means “until”, finché properly or strictly from a lexicographical point of view, takes the opposite meaning and only means “until” if the clause is negative. Examples, finché non muori (“until you die”, literally “as long as / while you don’t die”; finché muori would mean “as long as you die”); finché vivi (“as long as you live”; you may translate it as “until you’re dead”); non uscire finché non hai finito i compiti (“don’t go out till you’re done with / as long as you haven’t finished your homework”); finché morte non ci separi (“till death do us part”; this is an idiom, in which finché serves as a preposition, not conjunction).