padiglione

pavilion, wing (of a building)

noun pah-dee-LYOH-neh Rare

Origin: From Old French pavillon (tent, butterfly), from Latin papilio.

Also means

large tent, marquee

Usage Note

Padiglione covers both a freestanding exhibition hall (il padiglione Italia at Expo) and a wing of a hospital (padiglione chirurgico = surgical wing). It can also mean a large tent or marquee at outdoor events. The word is completely unrelated to padiglione auricolare (the outer ear), which uses the same word in anatomy — a potential surprise for learners.

Examples

"Il padiglione centrale ospita le mostre principali."

Natural Translation

The central pavilion hosts the main exhibitions.

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