Meaning
slime, mud
- thick, sticky mud or sludge found in stagnant water or wetlands
- morally degraded situation or environment (figurative)
In a sentence
Le scarpe sono rimaste bloccate nella melma vicino allo stagno.
The shoes got stuck in the slime near the pond.
Dopo l'alluvione, le strade erano completamente coperte da uno strato di melma.
After the flood, the streets were completely covered by a layer of sludge.
Non voleva farsi trascinare nella melma di quello scandalo.
He didn't want to get dragged into the muck of that scandal.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| melma | feminine · singular |
| melme | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Near-synonym of 'fango', but 'melma' specifically implies stickiness, decay, or stagnant swampiness.
- Often used metaphorically to describe moral corruption or disreputable circles.