cupola

dome, cupola

noun KOO-poh-lah Rare

Origin: Italian from Late Latin cupula (small cask), diminutive of cupa

Also means

(mafia) top leadership

Usage Note

Cupola refers to a rounded dome on a building — most famously la cupola del Brunelleschi in Florence. In a colloquial and journalistic register, la cupola also means the ruling council of the Sicilian Mafia. Don't confuse with campanile (bell tower), which is separate.

Examples

"La cupola del Pantheon è ancora oggi un capolavoro architettonico."

Natural Translation

The dome of the Pantheon is still an architectural masterpiece today.

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