roccaforte

stronghold

noun rok-kah-FOR-teh Rare

Origin: Compound of rocca (fortress, rock) + forte (strong); rocca from Latin rocca (rock, fortress).

Also means

fortress

Usage Note

Roccaforte is used both literally (a fortified stronghold, a castle) and figuratively — una roccaforte del partito (a party stronghold, an electoral bastion). The plural is roccaforti — note the irregular formation. It is common in political commentary to describe a region or city as a roccaforte of a particular ideology.

Examples

"Quel castello fu a lungo una roccaforte inespugnabile."

Natural Translation

That castle was long an impregnable stronghold.

Literal Translation

That castle was for-long a stronghold impregnable.

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