Meaning
fixation, dot, jack
- a fixation, obsession, or pet interest (especially in 'il pallino di')
- a small dot, spot, or bead; polka dot
- the small target ball (jack) in the game of bowls (bocce)
In a sentence
Mio fratello ha sempre avuto il pallino dell'informatica.
My brother has always had an obsession with computer science.
Ha comprato una bella camicia bianca a pallini neri.
She bought a nice white shirt with black polka dots.
Il giocatore ha avvicinato la boccia al pallino con grande precisione.
The player moved the bowl close to the jack with great accuracy.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| pallino | masculine · singular |
| pallini | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Commonly used in 'avere il pallino di / per' (to have a passion/fixation for something).
- Plural 'a pallini' describes spotted or polka-dot fabrics ('una cravatta a pallini').