espelunca

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin spēlunca, from Ancient Greek σπῆλυγξ (spêlunx), from earlier σπέος (spéos).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /is.peˈlũ.kɐ/, /es.peˈlũ.kɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /is.peˈlũ.kɐ/, /es.peˈlũ.kɐ/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /iʃ.peˈlũ.kɐ/, /eʃ.peˈlũ.kɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /es.peˈlũ.ka/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /(i)ʃ.pɨˈlũ.kɐ/

• Hyphenation: es‧pe‧lu‧nca

Noun

espelunca f (plural espeluncas)

1. cave, cavern or grotto
2. (derogatory) poorly lit, dirty and messy dwelling
3. (derogatory) generally illegal gambling house

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin spēlunca.

Noun

espelunca f (plural espeluncas)

1. cave

Further reading

• “espelunca”, 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