Forno in Italian means “oven” in English. It refers to any device or appliance used for baking, roasting, or heating food. The term can be used for a variety of ovens, from household kitchen ovens to larger, industrial ones.
Metti la pizza nel forno – Put the pizza in the oven
Il pane è cotto nel forno a legna – The bread is baked in a wood-fired oven
Forno can also refer to specific types of ovens, such as a forno elettrico (electric oven) or a forno a microonde (microwave oven). In traditional Italian cooking, a forno a legna (wood-fired oven) is often used, especially for making pizzas and bread.
Additionally, forno can sometimes refer to a bakery, where bread and baked goods are made.
Vado al forno – I’m going to the bakery
However, in this case, the more common word in standard Italian for “bakery” would be panetteria.
So, forno primarily means “oven,” but it also carries nuances depending on the context, especially in the culinary world.