cittadella

citadel

noun cheet-tah-DEL-lah Rare

Origin: Diminutive of città (city), from Latin civitas.

Also means

small fortified town

Usage Note

Cittadella is the diminutive of città but usually refers to a small fortified enclosure within or near a city (cittadella medievale), not a small city. It can also be used figuratively for any strongly defended or self-contained enclave. The plural is cittadelle.

Examples

"La cittadella medievale domina la valle."

Natural Translation

The medieval citadel dominates the valley.

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