gas

/ɡas/
nounIntermediateLoanword from Englishgas
scientific

A state of matter consisting of particles that have neither a defined volume nor a defined shape.

L'aria è un gas.

Air is a gas.

💡

In chemistry, 'gas' refers to a state of matter.

everyday

Gasoline, a fuel used in internal combustion engines.

Ho bisogno di comprare del gas per la macchina.

I need to buy some gas for the car.

💡

In everyday language, 'gas' often refers to gasoline.

everyday

A flammable gas used for cooking or heating.

Abbiamo finito il gas in cucina.

We ran out of gas in the kitchen.

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This refers to natural gas or propane used in households.

Collocations

fare il pieno di gasto fill up with gasgas naturalenatural gasgas di scaricoexhaust gas

Synonyms

Related Phrases

essere al verdeidiom
to be broke
mettere benzina nel fuocoidiom
to add fuel to the fire

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'gas' in Italian depends heavily on the context. In scientific contexts, it refers to the state of matter, while in everyday language, it often means gasoline or natural gas.

Gold Rule

Avoid Confusion

When referring to gasoline, Italians often use 'benzina' to avoid ambiguity. 'Gas' is more commonly used for natural gas or the scientific state of matter.

📖Word Origin

From English 'gas', which comes from the Greek 'chaos' (χάος), referring to the chaotic nature of gases.

📝Usage Notes

In Italian, 'gas' can refer to both the scientific state of matter and gasoline. The context usually clarifies the meaning.

Dizionario Italiano-Inglese