paglia

straw

noun PAH-lyah Rare

Origin: From Latin 'palea', chaff or straw — directly inherited.

Usage Note

Paglia is feminine: la paglia. It denotes the dry stalks of grain used as animal bedding or thatching material. The idiom fuoco di paglia (a straw fire) describes something that flares up quickly and dies just as fast — enthusiasm that doesn't last. Di paglia can also mean flimsy or insubstantial.

Examples

"I cavalli dormivano su un letto di paglia."

Natural Translation

The horses slept on a bed of straw.

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