rocca

fortress

noun ROK-kah Rare

Also means

distaff

Usage Note

Rocca primarily means a hilltop fortress or castle, common in Italian medieval towns — la Rocca di Assisi is a famous example. A secondary, older sense is the distaff, the stick used in hand-spinning. In everyday modern use the medieval-fortress sense predominates.

Examples

"La rocca domina il paese dall'alto della collina."

Natural Translation

The fortress overlooks the town from atop the hill.

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