cinque

Cinque is the Italian word for the cardinal number five, descended from Latin quinque. In Italian, the term is used in counting and in names or phrases that preserve historical or regional references. It also appears in various proper names and toponyms carried into English and other languages.

One of the best-known uses in geography is Cinque Terre, a coastal region in Liguria, northern Italy, comprising five villages along the Italian Riviera. The villages are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Cinque Terre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 and is noted for its terraced vineyards, pastel-colored houses, and historic hiking routes, including the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) that links the villages.

In English historical geography, the Cinque Ports were a medieval confederation of five ports on the southeast coast of England established to provide ships and military support to the Crown in exchange for privileges. The original five ports were Hastings, New Romney, Hythe, Dover, and Sandwich. Over time, the system evolved, but the term “Cinque Ports” remains a historical reference to this fivefold arrangement and its maritime duties.

Beyond these uses, Cinque is also a surname and appears in various personal names and cultural works. As a linguistic term, it simply denotes the number five in Italian and appears in multiple contexts that derive from that meaning.