Spanish Conversation · Level 64
76 words
Spanish word
duelo
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈdwelo/
Meaning
- masculine noungrief
Example
Está de duelo por la pérdida de su amigo.
He is filled with grief over the loss of his friend.
More examples
Después del accidente, la familia hizo duelo en privado.
After the accident, the family mourned in private.
Core concept
Deep, prolonged sorrow following someone's death or misfortune.
Common phrases
hacer duelo
mourn
estar de duelo
be in mourning
guardar duelo
observe mourning
Similar words
tristeza: A low, gloomy mood that makes everyday life feel dull and less enjoyable.
pena: A sharp, chest-tightening sadness that causes immediate emotional distress.
luto: Publicly shown mourning after a death, including rituals or visible signs of bereavement.
dolor: Intense, piercing emotional pain that feels overwhelming and hard to endure.
Definition in Spanish
Pena profunda y sostenida por la pérdida o desgracia de alguien o algo; palabra homónima que, por distinto origen, también puede referirse a un combate singular.
Word origin
The grief sense derives from Latin dolor 'pain', whereas the unrelated duel sense comes from Latin duellum, producing two homonymous words in Spanish.
Usage tips
- 'Duelo' is a potential false friend for English speakers because it looks like 'duel' but normally means mourning, with the combat meaning appearing only in specific historical or formal contexts.