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These are some of the honorific titles used in Italy and their abbreviations (often written with an initial capital).

State rules

• Presidente, pres. (President) - used for the President of the Italian Republic, or for the President of the Senate, of the Chamber of Deputies, of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister), of the Constitutional Court, of a Region Council and for Judges who presides over a Court
• Presidente emerito, pres. em. (Emeritus President) - used for a former President of the Italian Republic
• Senatore, sen. (Senator) - some senators are for life (usually former Presidents of the Italian Republic but also important writers, artists, musicians etc.)
• Onorevole, on. (Honourable Member of the Chamber of Deputies)
• Ministro, min. (Minister)
• Giudice (Judge)
• Console, cons. (Consul)

 

Work

• Dottore, dott. (Doctor) - in Italy it is used for any person holding an academic title, something which may confuse non-Italians
• Maestro (m) or Maestra (f) - school teacher or expert artisan/musician
  • Mastro (archaic for artisans)
• Professore, prof. (m)/ Professoressa, prof.ssa (f) - Professor, usually used for university teachers, and high school teachers
  • Full professors in the university are most formally addressed as Chiarissimo Professor, Chiar.mo Prof. - derived from Latin clarus which meant famed

 

Academic degree

• High school diplomas:
  • Ragioniere, rag. (Accountant)
  • Geometra, geom. (Surveyor)
  • Perito, per. ("perito" means expert and refers to a pre-university technical degree such as in chemistry, mechanics, foreign languages etc.)
  • Maestro (m) / Maestra (f) - degree from a music conservatory
• University degrees:
  • Dottore, dott. - for those holding a so-called laurea degree.
  • Avvocato, avv. (Lawyer)
  • Ingegnere, ing. (Engineer)
  • Architetto, arch. (Architect)
  • Dottore di Ricerca (holder of a Ph.D., literally "Doctor of Research")

 

Roman Catholic Church titles

Besides normal titles, there are some words that are strictly Italian:

• don (Father) - more a form of address than a title as such, don comes from a medieval way of addressing people held in great consideration, it is a colloquial form of Dominus - the Latin for Lord/Sir. It is still used, rarely, for the leading or wealthiest citizens in some areas (as in some parts of Spain and Latin America) and also to designate mafia bosses.
• prevosto - name used in northern Italy for important parish priests.
• arciprete - archpriest is usually used for the senior priest, parish priest of the senior parish, in an important or significant town that is not a Bishop's seat, i.e. not the centre of a diocese.
• curato - parish priest of the countryside.
• canonico: canon i.e. the senior priest attached to the cathedral, with some additional responsibilities there.

 

Style for letters

This is the way to address people in Italy when writing to them formally (letters):

• to men: Egregio signor, Egr. sig. (Eminent mister / Esq.)
• to women: Gentile signora/signorina, Gent. sig.ra/sig.ina (Gentle Mrs., Miss / Esq.).
• to agencies and firms: Spettabile ... – Spett.le ... (Esteemed ... / Messrs)

 

Nobility

As part of the republican constitution that became effective in Italy on 1 January 1948, titles of nobility ceased to be recognized in law (although they were not, strictly, abolished or banned), and the organ of state which had regulated them, the Consulta Araldica, was eliminated. However the so-called predicati — territorial or manorial designations that were often connected to a noble title by use of a nobiliary particle such as di, da, della, dei, could be resumed as part of the legal surname upon judicial approval for persons who possessed it prior to 28 October 1922 (date of Italian fascism's accession to power). In practice, this meant that, e.g., "John Doe, Duke of Somewhere" or "Princess Jane of Kingdom" might become "John Doe di Somewhere" or "Jane della Kingdom", respectively. Nonetheless, titles are often still used unofficially in villages, private clubs and some social sets. Signore and Signora (formerly signifying landed nobility) are translations of "Sir" and "Lady", used also in the military hierarchy and for persons in official positions or for members of a society's elite. A few titles are also common in diminutive form as terms of affection for young people (e.g. Principino for "Princekin" or Contessina for "the Little Countess").

• Re (King) / Regina (Queen)
• Principe (Prince) / Principessa (Princess)
• Duca (Duke) / Duchessa (Duchess)
• Marchese (Marquis) / Marchesa (Marchioness)
• Conte (Count or Earl) / Contessa (Countess)
• Visconte (Viscount) / Viscontessa (Viscountess)
• Barone (Baron) / Baronessa (Baroness)
• Coscritto (Select) no female equivalent
• Patrizio (Patrician) no female equivalent
• Nobiluomo – n.h./n.u. (Nobleman) / Nobildonna – n.d. (Noblewoman)
• Cavaliere Ereditario (Baronet) no female equivalent

Use of the prefix "Don" as a style for certain persons of distinction spread to the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily during the Spanish domination of southern Italy in the 16th Century. Officially, it was the style to address a noble (as distinct from a reigning) prince (principe) or duke (duca), and their children and agnatic descendants. Any Italian monarch (as in Spain) might informally be addressed or referred to with this prefix, for example King Carlos III of Spain was widely known in his Neapolitan realm as "Don Carlo". Genealogical databases and dynastic works still reserve the title for this class of noble by tradition, although it is no longer a right under Italian law. In practice, especially in the countryside, Don was also used as an honorific title for untitled noblemen, such as knights. The feminine is "Donna".

 

State honorifics

The President of the Italian Republic can give “honours of the Republic”. These are:

• Medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) to persons or entities for merit or valour
• Knighthood (Cavaliere di Gran Croce, Grande Ufficiale, Commendatore – comm., Cavaliere Ufficiale – cav. uff., Cavaliere – cav.) of five Orders (Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, Ordine Militare d’Italia, Ordine al Merito del Lavoro, Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana, Ordine di Vittorio Veneto)
  • Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Order to the Merit of the Italian Republic) is for persons who have a particular merit in regard to the Italian nation
  • Ordine Militare d’Italia (Military Order of Italy): it has the objective to reward the actions done by unities of the Armed Forces or by only soldiers, demonstrating skilfulness, responsibility and valor. The title can be given also to the memory of a dead person
  • Ordine al Merito del Lavoro (Order to the Merit of the Work): on purpose of the Prime Minister or on motu proprio, the President of the Republic give this title (only in the degree of Cavaliere – cav. del lav.) to persons who have worked with skilfulness, contributing to the develop of the Nation and to a better status to the workers
  • Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Order of the Star of the Italian Solidarity)
  • Ordine di Vittorio Veneto (Order of Vittorio Veneto) for the Italian soldiers in the First World War

In addition, the Orders of Chivalry and of Merit of the Royal House of Savoy (Order of Sts. Maurice and Lazarus; Civil Order of Savoy; Order of Merit of Savoy) -- not state orders but dynastic orders of the non-regnant royal House of Italy -- also confer and employ the following honorifics (for men): Cavaliere (Cav.), Cavaliere Ufficiale (Uff.), Commendatore (Comm.), and Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Cav. di G.C.); (for women): Dama, Ufficiale (Uff.), Dama di Commenda (Comm.), and Dama di Gran Croce (D. di G.C.). Since received from a genuine fons honorum, the Head of the Royal House of Savoy, these bestow and indicate authentic traditional knighthood.