fulmine
lightning
noun FOOL-mee-neh Less Common
Origin: from Latin 'fulmen'
Also means
thunderbolt
Usage Note
Fulmine is the bolt of lightning, while lampo is the flash and tuono the thunder. The vivid phrase un fulmine a ciel sereno means a 'bolt from the blue', a total surprise. The plural is fulmini.
Examples
"Un fulmine ha colpito l'albero."
Natural Translation
A bolt of lightning struck the tree.
Literal Translation
A lightning has struck the-tree.

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