turba

mob

noun TOOR-bah Rare

Also means

peat; turf

Usage Note

Turba has two unrelated meanings: a disorderly crowd or mob (la turba enfurecida, 'the enraged mob'), and peat — the combustible organic material (turba de pantano, 'bog peat'). Context makes the meaning clear. The crowd sense is more common in literary or journalistic prose. The related adjective turbulento/turbulenta ('turbulent') shares the Latin root turba ('disorder, crowd').

Examples

"La turba rodeó el edificio en protesta."

Natural Translation

The mob surrounded the building in protest.

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