Spanish word

cempasúchil

Pronunciation

IPA/θempaˈsutʃil/

Meaning

  • masculine nounmarigold

Example

Los jardines están llenos de cempasúchil en noviembre.

The gardens are full of marigolds in November.

Illustration for cempasúchil (marigold)

More examples

Colocaron cempasúchil en la ofrenda para recordar a los difuntos.

They put marigolds on the offering to remember the deceased.

Core concept

Cluster of vivid orange marigold blooms on an ofrenda for Día de Muertos.

Common phrases

  • altar de cempasúchil

    altar of marigolds

  • ofrenda con cempasúchil

    marigold offering

  • ramos de cempasúchil

    bouquets of marigolds

Similar words

flor: Everyday flowers that grow in gardens or are sold as cut blooms.
flor de muerto: Flowers offered at altars and burial sites as part of rituals remembering the dead.

Definition in Spanish

Flor de color naranja intenso, de tamaño medio a grande, que en México se utiliza habitualmente en ofrendas y adornos del Día de Muertos.

Word origin

The Spanish word derives from Nahuatl cempoalli 'twenty' and xōchitl 'flower' and literally means 'twenty flowers'.

Usage tips

  • The written accent falls on the ú (cem-pa-SÚ-chil), which marks the stressed syllable in Spanish.

Other meanings

  • Mexican marigoldnoun

Word lists with this word