Meaning
that is, in other words
- or, or rather
In a sentence
Arrivo alle otto, ossia un po' prima di te.
I’m arriving at eight, that is, a bit before you.
Vuoi tè, ossia preferisci il caffè?
Do you want tea, or rather do you prefer coffee?
Ha superato la prova finale, ossia l'esame orale.
She passed the final test, that is, the oral exam.
Usage notes
- More common in writing, formal speech, and explanations; in casual conversation, cioè is usually the more natural choice.
- Use ossia to refine or correct what you just said; for simple alternatives, oppure or o are usually better.
- It often appears between commas or before a more precise term: punctuation helps signal the clarification.