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centinela

sentinel, guard

noun sen-tee-NEH-lah Rare
People & Society Military

Origin: from Italian sentinella

Usage Note

Centinela is a military/historical noun for a posted guard or lookout. Despite ending in -a, it can be masculine or feminine — el centinela (a male guard), la centinela (a female guard) — making it common gender. Figuratively it describes anything that stands watch: la prensa, centinela de la democracia.

Examples

"El centinela vigilaba la puerta toda la noche."

Natural Translation

The sentinel watched the door all night.

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