Meaning
side dish, outline
- side dish (vegetables with a main course)
- outline, contour
- surroundings, setting
In a sentence
Non vedo bene il contorno della montagna.
I can't clearly see the outline of the mountain.
Hai preso anche un contorno con il pollo?
Did you also get a side dish with the chicken?
Ho disegnato il contorno del viso ieri.
I drew the outline of the face yesterday.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| contorno | masculine · singular |
| contorni | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- For food, contorno means a side dish, usually vegetables. For generic side dish, Italians also say accompagnamento, but contorno is more common on menus.
- Do not confuse contorno with contare or dintorni. I dintorni means the surrounding area; contorno alone is not the usual everyday word for neighborhood.
- In art or description, contorno is more technical than profilo or sagoma. Use it for outlines, edges, or facial features in formal or descriptive contexts.