portata
course (of a meal)
noun pohr-TAH-tah Less Common
Origin: from 'portare' (to carry)
Also means
capacity
Usage Note
Portata is best known as a course in a meal (il pranzo aveva quattro portate) but also means capacity, range, or scope, as in alla portata di tutti (within everyone's reach or affordable). The two senses share the idea of what is 'carried' or 'brought'.
Examples
"La seconda portata era pesce."
Natural Translation
The second course was fish.
Literal Translation
The second course was fish.
Related Words
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