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decina

ten

noun deh-CHEE-nah Less Common
Numbers & Measures Quantities

Origin: from 'dieci' ('ten')

Also means

about ten

Usage Note

Decina names a group of ten and, more usefully, an approximate 'about ten', as in una decina di persone. Such approximate nouns (also ventina, trentina, centinaio) are a neat Italian way to say 'around N'. It is feminine, plural decine.

Examples

"C'erano una decina di persone."

Natural Translation

There were about ten people.

Literal Translation

There-were a ten of people.

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