trecento: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 - Very low frequency, specialized term.Formal, academic, art historical.
Quick answer
What does “trecento” mean?
A term used to denote the 1300s in Italy, specifically the fourteenth century, especially in reference to Italian art, literature, and culture.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A term used to denote the 1300s in Italy, specifically the fourteenth century, especially in reference to Italian art, literature, and culture.
The period in Italian history and culture from 1300 to 1399, characterized by the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. In art history, it refers specifically to the distinctive painting, sculpture, and architecture of 14th-century Italy, preceding the Quattrocento (1400s).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage between UK and US English. Both use it as a specialized art-historical term.
Connotations
Connotes expertise, scholarship, and a focus on Italian Renaissance precursors.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, confined to university art history departments, museum catalogs, and scholarly publications.
Grammar
How to Use “trecento” in a Sentence
the + Trecentoadjective (early/late/high) + TrecentoTrecento + noun (art/painting/master)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trecento” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The gallery's Trecento collection is unrivalled outside Italy.
American English
- Her research focuses on Trecento panel painting techniques.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Primary context. Used in art history, history, and cultural studies papers and lectures.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used precisely in art cataloging, museum descriptions, and academic discourse.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “trecento”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “trecento”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trecento”
- Using lowercase ('trecento' vs 'Trecento').
- Confusing it with 'Quattrocento' (1400s).
- Using it to refer to non-Italian 14th-century contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, but it can encompass the broader culture, literature, and history of 14th-century Italy.
It is pronounced tray-CHEN-toh, with the stress on the second syllable.
No, it is specific to Italy. For other regions, use 'the fourteenth century' or a region-specific term like 'Late Medieval period'.
'Trecento' is a chronological term for Italy. 'Gothic' is a stylistic term that can apply to art and architecture across Europe during a similar period; Italian Trecento art has both Gothic and early Renaissance elements.
A term used to denote the 1300s in Italy, specifically the fourteenth century, especially in reference to Italian art, literature, and culture.
Trecento is usually formal, academic, art historical. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “From Giotto to the Trecento”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
TREnth CENTury + Italian O = Trecento: The Italian way of saying the 1300s (14th century).
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME PERIODS ARE LABELLED CONTAINERS (e.g., 'within the Trecento', 'the spirit of the Trecento').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following periods comes immediately AFTER the Trecento?