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falcidia

drastic cut

noun fahl-CHEE-dyah Rare
People & Society Money

Origin: From Latin falcidia, referring to the Lex Falcidia (40 BC) limiting how much a testator could bequeath in legacies.

Also means

decimation

Usage Note

Falcidia originally described the legal one-quarter reserved to an heir under Roman law, but in modern Italian it means a severe reduction or sweeping cut — especially to budgets, staff, or resources: una falcidia di posti di lavoro ('a drastic cut in jobs'). It is always feminine: la falcidia. The tone is formal and journalistic; everyday speakers might use taglio drastico instead.

Examples

"La falcidia dei fondi ha bloccato il progetto."

Natural Translation

The drastic cut in funds halted the project.

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