Spanish word

boli

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈboli/

Meaning

  • masculine nounballpoint pen

Example

¿Dónde está mi boli?

Where is my ballpoint pen?

Illustration for boli (ballpoint pen)

More examples

¿Puedes prestarme tu boli?

Can you lend me your ballpoint pen?

Core concept

Light writing pen that lays ink by a small rotating ball.

Common phrases

  • mi boli

    my ballpoint pen

  • un boli

    a ballpoint pen

  • boli nuevo

    new ballpoint pen

Similar words

bolígrafo: Standard term for a pen that dispenses ink through a small rotating ball.
pluma: Writing instrument that uses liquid ink to make marks on paper.

Definition in Spanish

Término informal para bolígrafo; utensilio de escritura en el que una bolita gira en la punta para depositar tinta sobre el papel.

Word origin

Boli arises as a conversational abbreviation of bolígrafo, a compound of Spanish bola 'ball' and Greek grapho 'to write' that refers to the pen's ball tip.

Usage tips

  • Boli is a common informal alternative to bolígrafo in speech and is avoided in formal documents where bolígrafo or lapicero is preferable.

Opposites

Word lists with this word