Meaning
great, distinguished, renowned
In a sentence
È un medico insigne, lo conoscono tutti qui.
He is a distinguished doctor; everyone knows him here.
Hai letto il libro di quella studiosa insigne?
Have you read the book by that renowned scholar?
Non è un artista insigne, ma piace molto.
He isn't a great artist, but people like him a lot.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| insigne | masculine · singular |
| insigne | feminine · singular |
| insigni | masculine · plural |
| insigni | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Mostly formal or literary. In everyday speech, speakers more often use famoso, importante, illustre, or notevole.
- Usually comes before the noun in fixed formal style: un insigne studioso. After the noun sounds more marked or literary.
- Do not use it for ordinary praise like 'great job.' It suits public reputation, titles, honors, or notable achievements.