Meaning
beak (structure projecting from a bird's face)
- beak, bill
- spout, nozzle
- mouthpiece (of a woodwind instrument)
- billy goat, he-goat
In a sentence
Il pappagallo ha un becco rosso e forte.
The parrot has a strong red beak.
Hai visto il becco del clarinetto nuovo?
Have you seen the mouthpiece of the new clarinet?
Quel sasso non ha un becco appuntito.
That rock doesn't have a pointed tip.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| becco | masculine · singular |
| becchi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- For a bird’s beak, becco is the normal word. For a person’s mouth, use bocca, not becco.
- Becco also appears in technical contexts like instruments or firearms; these uses are specialized and less common in everyday speech.
- In figurative use, becco can suggest a pointed shape. Don’t overuse it for any tip; punta is often more natural.