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occhiale

eyeglass lens; monocle

noun ok-KYAH-leh Rare

Usage Note

Occhiale is the singular of occhiali (eyeglasses), but in practice Italians almost always use the plural gli occhiali to mean a pair of glasses, just as English uses 'glasses' in the plural. The singular occhiale refers to a single lens or a monocle. Saying un occhiale for a pair of spectacles sounds odd to native speakers.

Examples

"Ha perso un occhiale della montatura."

Natural Translation

He lost one lens of the frame.

Literal Translation

He-has lost a lens of-the frame.

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