Definition
To open something, such as a door, a box, or a shop.
Example
Per favore, apri la finestra — fa caldo.
Show translation
Please open the window — it's hot.
Etymology
From Latin *aperīre* ("to open, to uncover"), from *ap-* (a prefix suggesting separation) + *-erīre*, related to *operīre* ("to cover, to shut"). The Latin root also gives English "aperture" — a gap or opening — making the family connection easy to trace.
Cultural note
In Italian daily life, *aprire* appears in countless set phrases: shops display **"Aperto"** (open) and **"Chiuso"** (closed) signs, and *aprire un'attività* means to start a business. Italians also use *aprire* figuratively — *aprire il cuore* ("to open one's heart") or *aprire la mente* ("to open one's mind") — just as in English. Note that the opposite, *chiudere* ("to close"), is its most natural antonym and equally high-frequency.