durata

/duˈra.ta/
noun (feminine)Intermediate duration
neutral

The time during which something continues or exists

La durata della batteria del telefono è di 10 ore.

The battery life of the phone is 10 hours.

La durata del corso è di tre mesi.

The duration of the course is three months.

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Commonly used in technical, business, and everyday contexts.

technical

In music, the length of a note or rest

La durata della nota è di un quarto.

The duration of the note is a quarter.

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Specific to musical notation.

⚖️Law
formal

In law, the period during which a legal right or obligation is valid

La durata del contratto è di cinque anni.

The duration of the contract is five years.

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Used in legal documents and agreements.

Collocations

durata della vitalifespandurata mediaaverage durationdurata breveshort durationdurata prolungataextended duration

💡Pro Tip

Common Collocations

Remember that 'durata' is often paired with 'di' (e.g., 'durata di un film' = duration of a movie).

Gold Rule

Duration vs. Length

Use 'durata' for time spans and 'lunghezza' for physical length (e.g., 'lunghezza del tavolo' = length of the table).

📖Word Origin

From Latin *duratio*, from *durare* (to last, endure), related to *durus* (hard, lasting).

📝Usage Notes

Used for both concrete and abstract durations. In technical contexts, it often refers to measurable time spans.

Word Breakdown

dur-
from Latin *durare* (to last)
root
+
-ata
suffix forming nouns of action or result
suffix
Dizionario Italiano-Inglese