Meaning
tip-off, leak
- confidential information given secretly to the police, authorities, or reporters
In a sentence
La polizia è intervenuta subito grazie alla soffiata di un testimone.
The police intervened immediately thanks to a witness's tip-off.
I giornalisti hanno scoperto lo scandalo dopo una soffiata anonima.
The journalists uncovered the scandal after an anonymous tip-off.
Chi credi che abbia fatto la soffiata agli investigatori?
Who do you think leaked the tip-off to the investigators?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| soffiata | feminine · singular |
| soffiate | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Informal: common in spoken Italian, crime fiction, and journalism.
- Derived from 'soffiare' in the sense of covertly whispering secrets.