ventennio

twenty-year period

noun ven-TEN-nyoh Rare

Origin: From Latin viginti (twenty) + annum (year).

Usage Note

Ventennio is a span of twenty years. In Italian historical discourse it almost always refers specifically to il Ventennio fascista — the two decades of Mussolini's rule (1922–1943) — so context matters greatly. The pattern is productive: decennio (decade), trentennio (thirty years), cinquantennio (fifty years). The plural is ventennî or ventennii, though the singular dominates.

Examples

"Il ventennio fascista ha segnato l'Italia."

Natural Translation

The fascist twenty-year period marked Italy.

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