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secca
/ˈsek.ka/
drought
L'estate scorsa la siccità ha causato una grave secca nel fiume Po.
Last summer, the drought caused a severe drought in the Po River.
formal
Period of prolonged lack of rain leading to water scarcity.
Dopo mesi di secca, i contadini hanno perso parte del raccolto.
After months of drought, the farmers lost part of their harvest.
Often used in meteorological or agricultural contexts.
formal
Dried-up riverbed or water body.
Il letto del fiume era una secca polverosa.
The riverbed was a dusty dry riverbed.
Common in geographical descriptions.
technical
Lack of moisture in soil or air.
La secca del terreno ha reso difficile la semina.
The dryness of the soil made planting difficult.
Used in farming or environmental science.
Collocations
secca prolungataprolonged droughtperiodo di seccadry period
Pro Tip
Avoid confusion with 'secco'
'Secco' is an adjective meaning 'dry' (e.g., 'vino secco' = dry wine), while 'secca' is a noun referring to drought or dryness.
Word Origin
From Latin *siccus* (dry), via Vulgar Latin *seccus*.
Usage Notes
In Italian, 'secca' is a feminine noun, often used in singular form even when referring to general drought conditions. It can also appear in compound terms like 'secca del letto del fiume' (riverbed dryness).
Dizionario Italiano-Inglese