genocidio

genocide

noun jeh-noh-CHEE-dyoh Rare

Origin: Coined in 1944 by Raphael Lemkin from Greek genos (race) + Latin caedere (to kill).

Usage Note

Genocidio is a legal and historical term for the deliberate killing of a national, ethnic, or religious group. It entered Italian (and international law) after WWII. The plural is regular: genocidi. It is used in serious journalistic, academic, and legal contexts — never casually.

Examples

"Il tribunale ha condannato il genocidio."

Natural Translation

The tribunal condemned the genocide.

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