coprifuoco

curfew

noun koh-pree-FWOH-koh Rare

Origin: Calque of Old French couvre-feu (cover fire) — the medieval order to extinguish fires at night.

Usage Note

Coprifuoco is a compound of coprire (to cover) + fuoco (fire). Its plural is invariable: i coprifuoco (some grammars also allow i coprifuochi). It is used both historically and in modern military/public-order contexts, as in il coprifuoco notturno (the nightly curfew). The word gained wide use during pandemic lockdowns in Italy.

Examples

"Il governo ha imposto il coprifuoco alle 22."

Natural Translation

The government imposed a curfew at 10 p.m.

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