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Glite Dictionary
🌊 A Sicilian cape ⚓ A sea battle
Cape Passero

Cape Passero

7.5
A cape that forms the southeastern corner of the island of Sicily, Italy
  • proper noun
translation icon : Cabo Passero
  • The lighthouse at Cape Passero guides boats safely along the rugged Sicilian coastline.

Examples

  • The fishing boats sailed past Cape Passero on their way to deeper waters.

  • During the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily, landings occurred close to Cape Passero.

  • Strong winds are common near Cape Passero, making navigation challenging for small vessels.

  • I visited Cape Passero during my trip to Sicily.

  • Have you ever seen Cape Passero from the sea?

  • During World War II, the strategic location of Cape Passero was vital for naval operations in the Mediterranean.

  • Ferries often travel near Cape Passero, connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland.

Synonyms

Capo Passero
vsCape Passero
8.7

A cape at the south-east corner of Sicily, Italy

uses the generic word before the specific name for the headland
Passero Cape
vsCape Passero
8.4

A cape at the southeastern tip of Sicily

uses the generic word before the specific name for the headland

Surface Forms

Cape Passero main

Morphology

cape + Passero

The noun 'cape' clearly denotes a promontory and 'Passero' functions as a proper name, so the conventional pattern 'Cape + Name' transparently signals a geographic headland; a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer it is a place. They would not, however, be able to deduce the specific historical fact (the 1719 naval battle) from the name alone, but the toponymic meaning itself is compositional and predictable.

Etymology

Cape Passero may come from the Italian word passero, meaning 'sparrow', because people saw many small birds there or a rock looked like a bird. That's why the name refers to the cape at the southeastern corner of Sicily.