civettare
to flirt coyly / to be coquettish
Advanced Verb
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Pronunciation
/tʃi.vet.ˈta.re/
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Cultural Note
Civettare comes from 'civetta' (owl), because in Italian folklore, owls were seen as vain, attention-seeking birds. It describes a more refined, playful kind of flirting — think batting eyelashes and witty remarks rather than bold advances. It's slightly old-fashioned but still understood and appreciated, especially in literary Italian.
📝 Example Sentences
Civettava con tutti alla festa.
She was flirting coyly with everyone at the party.
Non civettare, dimmi cosa vuoi davvero.
Don't be coy, tell me what you really want.
Sa civettare con grande eleganza.
She knows how to flirt with great elegance.