enxaneta

Catalan

Etymology

Uncertain, 19th century. The following have been proposed:

1. from Occitan *enjaneta, diminutive of Occitan engana (“arrow, steeple”);
2. diminutive of genet (“rider”), since the enxaneta straddles the acotxador;
3. variant of angelet (“little angel”), from the origins of castells in the figures built in the ball de valencians to represent various religious scenes, in this case the Assumption of Mary.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [əɲ.ʃəˈnɛ.tə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [əɲ.ʃəˈnə.tə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [eɲ.t͡ʃaˈne.ta]

Noun

enxaneta m or f by sense (plural enxanetes)

1. (castells) the person, typically a child, who forms the top of a castell