Definition

1. Noun:
   • A high-speed motorway or expressway in an Italian-speaking country: The term specifically refers to the Italian network of controlled-access highways, often with tolls, designed for fast, long-distance travel.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We drove from Milan to Rome on the autostrada.
  • The autostrada was congested with holiday traffic.
  • Tolls are collected at exits along the autostrada.

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used in English travel writing or discussions about Italy to lend local color, distinguishing Italian motorways from those in other countries (e.g., in Germany, in the UK).
  • The article described the scenic views from the autostrada along the Amalfi Coast.

Variants and Related Words

• Autostrade (n): The plural form of .
  • The Italian autostrade are known for their efficiency.

Synonyms

• Expressway: A major divided highway designed for high-speed traffic.
• Motorway: The British English term for a major road of this type.
• Freeway / Tollway: American English terms; note that often implies a toll road.

Notes on Meaning

• The word is a direct loanword from Italian ( = car, = road). Its use in English is geographically specific, almost exclusively referring to Italian (or sometimes Swiss-Italian) highways. It is not a general synonym for any expressway.

Noun

1. an expressway in an Italian-speaking country