Meaning
wreck, scrap
- A piece of metal wreckage or debris from a vehicle or machine
- A battered, worn-out vehicle or object; an old banger
- Metal scrap suitable for recycling (often plural)
In a sentence
I rottami dell'auto sono stati rimossi dall'autostrada stamattina.
The car wreckage was removed from the highway this morning.
Non comprare quella macchina vecchia, è solo un rottame.
Don't buy that old car, it's just a wreck.
Dopo dieci ore di viaggio mi sento un vero rottame.
After ten hours of travel, I feel like a total wreck.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| rottame | masculine · singular |
| rottami | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Often used in the plural 'rottami' to mean wreckage or scrap metal.
- Can be used humorously or contemptuously for a person feeling physically exhausted or broken down.