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ponente

west

noun poh-NEN-teh Rare
Travel & Places Directions

Origin: Italian ponere ('to set') — the direction where the sun sets.

Also means

westerly wind

Usage Note

Ponente is the literary or nautical term for 'west', paired with levante ('east'). It is used in compass roses, sailing, and poetic language; everyday speech prefers ovest. In Liguria, the Riviera di Ponente is the western Riviera stretching toward France. As a wind name it refers to a westerly wind, common in Mediterranean meteorology.

Examples

"Il sole tramonta a ponente ogni sera."

Natural Translation

The sun sets in the west every evening.

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