Dolce Vita Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

dolce vita American [dawl-che vee-tah, dohl-chey vee-tuh] / ˈdɔl tʃɛ ˈvi tɑ, ˈdoʊl tʃeɪ ˈvi tə /

noun

Italian.

1. sweet life; the good life perceived as one of physical pleasure and self-indulgence (usually preceded byla ).

dolce vita British / ˈdɒltʃɪ ˈviːtə, ˈdoltʃe ˈvita /

noun

1. a life of luxury

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dolce vita

Italian, literally: sweet life

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I am fortunate to be living la dolce vita here in Italy — which happens to include a genuine concern for the well being of its citizens.

From Salon

I started making homemade pasta years ago after going to Italy for the first time, and realizing that fresh pasta really is “la dolce vita.”

From Seattle Times

The cinematic vets play a quartet of septuagenarians looking for la dolce vita in a buddy comedy that promises European-vacation set pieces, girls’ trip romps and Bergen’s punchy one-liners.

From Los Angeles Times

Little is still what it seems at another White Lotus resort halfway across the world, certainly souring la dolce vita for the fabled hotel chain’s latest round of guests.

From Los Angeles Times

More and more Italians were able to participate in the leisure economy, and dictates of the dolce vita were often drawn from perceptions of American lifestyles.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.