Spanish word

despido

Pronunciation

IPA/desˈpiðo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounfiring

Example

Ayer recibí un despido.

I was fired yesterday.

Illustration for despido (firing)

More examples

El despido colectivo afectó a toda la plantilla.

The collective dismissal affected the whole staff.

Core concept

A termination notice pinned to an office bulletin board beside an empty desk.

Common phrases

  • acuerdo de despido

    severance agreement

  • despido colectivo

    collective dismissal

Similar words

dimisión: Voluntary resignation from a job or position by the employee.
cese: End of employment or of a role, marking the completion of assigned duties.
cesantía: Loss of employment due to company circumstances, resulting in unemployment.
destitución: Official removal from a public office or position by an authority.

Definition in Spanish

Hecho por el cual un trabajador pierde su empleo por decisión del empleador.

Word origin

Noun formed from the verb despedir 'to dismiss' or 'send away', originally meaning to send someone away and later used for the employer's act of ending employment.

Usage tips

  • Used for employer-initiated dismissal, not for quitting (use 'renuncia'), and 'despedida' more often means a farewell or farewell party rather than a firing.

Other meanings

  • dismissalnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • despedirdismissverb
  • despedidodismissedadjective

Word lists with this word