castello

castle

noun kah-STEL-loh Rare

Origin: Latin castellum, diminutive of castrum 'fort'

Usage Note

Castello has a regular plural castelli. Italy has thousands of castles, and the word also appears in figurative phrases: fare castelli in aria (to build castles in the air, to daydream). Castello can also mean a scaffolding structure (castello di ponteggi) or bunk bed (castello a due piani) in some regional and colloquial uses.

Examples

"Il castello medievale domina la collina."

Natural Translation

The medieval castle dominates the hill.

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