branca

branch, field, sector

noun BRAHN-kah Rare

Origin: From Late Latin branca (paw, claw), of uncertain origin.

Also means

claw, paw

Usage Note

Branca in modern Italian most commonly means a branch of knowledge or a sector of activity (una branca della medicina). Its older meaning of 'claw' or 'paw' survives in literary and zoological contexts. The plural is regular: le branche. Do not confuse with ramo ('branch of a tree').

Examples

"La fisica è una branca della scienza."

Natural Translation

Physics is a branch of science.

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