cancerbero

Spanish

Etymology

From can +‎ Cerbero.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /kanθeɾˈbeɾo/ [kãn̟.θeɾˈβ̞e.ɾo]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /kanseɾˈbeɾo/ [kãn.seɾˈβ̞e.ɾo]
• Rhymes: -eɾo
• Syllabification: can‧cer‧be‧ro

Noun

cancerbero m (plural cancerberos, feminine cancerbera, feminine plural cancerberas)

1. (sports) goalkeeper, (UK) keeper, (US) goalie

   Synonyms: (Latin America) arquero, (Uruguay) golero, (Spain) portero, (journalistic and sports commentators usage) guardameta

2. someone who guards a door; doorkeeper

   Synonym: portero

   • 2015 October 29, “Regreso a la casa de Bernarda Alba”, in El País‎^[1]:

     Era un infierno mudo y frió en ese sol africano, sepultura de gente viva bajo una férula inflexible de cancerbero oscuro.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. (mythology, folklore) hellhound

Further reading

• “cancerbero”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10