contadina

English

Etymology

Italian contadina

Noun

contadina (plural contadinas or contadine)

1. An Italian peasant woman.
   • 1903, Henry James, The Ambassadors:

     The mellowest lamplight and the easiest chair had been placed at his disposal by Baptiste—subtlest of servants; the novel half uncut, the novel lemon-coloured and tender, with the ivory knife athwart it like a dagger in a contadina's hair, had been pushed within the soft circle—a circle which, for some reason, affected Strether as softer still after the same Baptiste had remarked that, in the absence of a further need of anything by Monsieur, he would betake himself to bed.

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Italian

Adjective

contadina

1. feminine singular of contadino

Noun

contadina f (plural contadine, masculine contadino)

1. (female) peasant, farmer, countrywoman