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molotov

Molotov cocktail

noun MOH-loh-tov Rare

Origin: Named after Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov; the name was coined sardonically by Finnish soldiers in the Winter War.

Usage Note

Molotov (also written cocktail Molotov) is an invariable noun in Italian — it does not change in the plural (le molotov). The gender is feminine in Italian usage (una molotov). It appears in news reporting of riots and conflicts. The word entered many languages from the 1939-1940 Finnish-Soviet Winter War.

Examples

"Un manifestante lanciò una molotov contro la polizia."

Natural Translation

A protester threw a Molotov cocktail at the police.

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