Spanish Conversation · Level 13
90 words
Spanish word
desmayar
Pronunciation
IPA/desmaˈʝaɾ/
Meaning
- verbfaint
Example
Me desmayé por el calor.
I fainted from the heat.
More examples
Se desmayó al recibir la noticia.
He fainted upon receiving the news.
Core concept
A person collapsing and losing consciousness briefly.
Common phrases
desmayar por el calor
faint from the heat
desmayar de dolor
faint from pain
desmayar en público
faint in public
Similar words
desmayarse: Pass out suddenly for a short time, experienced as one's own collapse.
perder el conocimiento: Stop being conscious; a general, neutral term for loss of awareness.
desfallecer: Become faint from weakness and collapse, sometimes with a brief loss of consciousness.
Definition in Spanish
Dejar de tener conciencia durante un corto periodo, perdiendo la reacción ante estímulos por causas físicas.
Word origin
From medieval Spanish desmaiar, ultimately from Latin exanimāre 'deprive of life or spirit' (ex- 'out' + animāre 'to give life'), originally describing loss of animation or consciousness.
Usage tips
- Commonly used in reflexive forms (desmayarse), and it is a false friend with English 'dismay', which means to upset rather than to faint.