piranha

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See also: Piranha

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Red-bellied piranha

Alternative forms

Etymology

First attested in 1869. The term entered English either via Portuguese piranha or Spanish piraña, from Old Tupi pirãîa.

Pronunciation

Noun

piranha (plural piranhas or piranha)

  1. (ichthyology) Any of certain freshwater fish of the subfamily Serrasalminae, native to South America; they are characterised by razor-sharp teeth and a reputation of being ferocious predators (despite most species being omnivorous).
    Coordinate terms: pacu, silver dollar

Usage notes

  • Fish of the genus Metynnis are usually not called piranhas, despite being on the same subfamily.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • ⇒ Translingual: †Megapiranha

Translations

References

  1. ^ “piranha”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.

Cebuano

Etymology

From English piranha, from Old Tupi pirãia (“fish”).

Pronunciation

  • Hyphenation: pi‧ran‧ha

Noun

piranha

  1. a piranha

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese piranha.

Pronunciation

Noun

piranha c (plural piranha's, diminutive piranhaatje n)

  1. piranha

French

French Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia fr

Pronunciation

Noun

piranha m (plural piranhas)

  1. piranha

Further reading

Galician

Noun

piranha m (plural piranhas, reintegrationist norm)

  1. reintegrationist spelling of piraña

References

  • “piranha” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).

Italian

Etymology

From Old Tupi.

Pronunciation

Noun

piranha m (invariable)

  1. piranha

Mirandese

Etymology

From Portuguese piranha, from Old Tupi pirãîa

Pronunciation

Noun

piranha f (plural piranhas)

  1. piranha (fish of the subfamily Serrasalminae)

Old Tupi

Noun

piranha

  1. alternative form of pirãîa

Portuguese

Portuguese Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pt
Piranha (sense 1)
Piranhas (sense 3)

Etymology

    Borrowed from Old Tupi pirãîa, from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *pirãj, from *pira + *tãj.

    Cognate with Nheengatu piranha.

    Pronunciation

     
     

    • Rhymes: -ɐɲɐ
    • Hyphenation: pi‧ra‧nha

    Noun

    piranha f (plural piranhas)

    2. piranha
    3. (derogatory, vulgar, Brazil) slut, whore
      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:vadia
      • 1979, Carlos Heitor Cony, 59:57 from the start, in Anselmo Duarte, director, Os Trombadinhas, Rio de Janeiro: Embrafilme; Ipanema Filmes:
        Arlete (Ana Maria Nascimento e Silva): Você... Você é o Pelé?
        Edson Arantes do Nascimento: Não. Eu sou o Jô Soares, sua piranha!
        Arlete (Ana Maria Nascimento e Silva): Are you... Are you Pelé?
        Edson Arantes do Nascimento: No. I'm Jô Soares, you bitch!
    5. (Brazil) claw clip
      Synonym: piranha de cabelo

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    Further reading

    Romanian

    Etymology

    Borrowed from French piranha.

    Noun

    piranha m (plural piranha)

    1. piranha

    Declension

    Declension of piranha
    singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative-accusative piranha piranhaul piranha piranhai
    genitive-dative piranha piranhaului piranha piranhalor
    vocative piranhaule piranhalor
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