Meaning
friar, monk
In a sentence
Abbiamo incontrato un frate all'ingresso del convento.
We met a friar at the entrance of the monastery.
Hai visto quel frate vicino alla chiesa?
Did you see that friar near the church?
Quel frate francescano aiuta sempre i poveri della città.
That Franciscan friar always helps the poor of the city.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| frate | masculine · singular |
| frati | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- For a biological brother, use fratello in normal speech; frate is archaic, poetic, or dialectal in that sense.
- For religious contexts, frate is common for friars; monaco is a monk, usually in a monastery, not the same role.
- As a title, it often comes before a name: frate Francesco. Capitalization depends on style, but lowercase is common.