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toga

gown

noun TOH-gah Rare

Origin: Latin toga, the Roman citizen's woollen mantle.

Also means

toga

Usage Note

Toga in modern Italian refers primarily to the black robe worn by judges and lawyers in court — equivalent to the English 'gown'. Its historical Latin meaning (the Roman citizen's draped garment) is also widely understood. The plural is toghe. The phrase la toga is used metonymically to refer to the legal profession itself: i valori della toga ('the values of the bar').

Examples

"Il giudice indossava la toga nera in aula."

Natural Translation

The judge was wearing a black gown in the courtroom.

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