Meaning
octopus; Mafia
- octopus (especially a large or giant one)
- pervasive organized crime network, particularly the Mafia
In a sentence
I tentacoli della piovra si estendevano fino agli uffici pubblici.
The syndicate's tentacles reached all the way into public offices.
Hanno avvistato una gigantesca piovra nei fondali dell'oceano.
They spotted a giant octopus on the ocean floor.
La piovra della criminalità organizzata minaccia l'economia locale.
The octopus of organized crime threatens the local economy.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| piovra | feminine · singular |
| piovre | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- In zoology, 'polpo' is more common for common octopus and food, while 'piovra' often evokes giant octopuses or tentacles.
- Capitalized ('la Piovra'), it famously refers to the Sicilian Mafia or the iconic Italian crime TV series.