viuzza

narrow alley

noun vyoo-TSAH Rare

Origin: Diminutive of via (street), Latin via, with the suffix -uzza conveying smallness.

Also means

little lane

Usage Note

Viuzza is a diminutive-affective form of via; it suggests a charming, very narrow alley typical of old Italian town centres. The closely related vicolo is more neutral; viuzza has a warmer, more nostalgic feel. The plural is viuzze. It is the kind of word evoked in descriptions of medieval hill-towns and southern cityscapes.

Examples

"Svoltammo in una viuzza stretta e buia."

Natural Translation

We turned into a narrow, dark alley.

Literal Translation

We-turned in a alley narrow and dark.

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