menzogna
lie, falsehood
noun men-TSOH-nyah Rare
Origin: From Latin mentio with pejorative suffix; related to mentire, 'to lie'.
Usage Note
Menzogna is a formal or literary word for a lie, stronger in register than bugia ('fib', everyday speech). Smascherare una menzogna means to expose a lie. Writers and journalists favour menzogna to give weight to an accusation of deceit.
Examples
"Le sue parole erano piene di menzogna."
Natural Translation
His words were full of falsehood.
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