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coloniale

colonial

adjective koh-loh-NYAH-leh Rare
People & Society Politics

Origin: From Latin colonialis, from colonia 'colony'.

Usage Note

Coloniale is primarily an adjective describing anything relating to colonialism: periodo coloniale (colonial period), stile coloniale (colonial style in architecture). It is invariable for gender and takes the plural coloniali. In Italian it can also be used as a noun (il/la coloniale, referring to a colonial-era settler) but this usage is dated. Italy's colonial history in Africa (Libia, Eritrea, Somalia, Etiopia) makes this a historically charged term.

Examples

"Il museo espone cimeli del periodo coloniale."

Natural Translation

The museum displays relics from the colonial period.

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