Spanish word

escarabajo

Pronunciation

IPA/eskaɾaˈβaxo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbeetle

Example

¿Ves ese escarabajo en la hoja?

Do you see that beetle on the leaf?

Illustration for escarabajo (beetle)

More examples

Ayer encontré un escarabajo en el jardín.

Yesterday I found a beetle in the garden.

Core concept

Robust insect with hard, shell-like forewings (elytra) covering the abdomen.

Common phrases

  • ver un escarabajo

    see a beetle

  • encontrar un escarabajo

    find a beetle

Similar words

bicho: Tiny bug or critter spoken of vaguely and casually when species is unimportant.
insecto: Organism with six legs, compound eyes, and a three-part body plan, covering all insects.

Definition in Spanish

Se usa para los insectos coleópteros que poseen élitros duros sobre el abdomen; término amplio usado para designar una gran variedad de formas y tamaños.

Word origin

The Spanish word comes from Latin scarabaeus, itself from Greek skarábē, via medieval Romance forms.

Usage tips

  • English scarab often denotes the Egyptian artifact or the scarab family specifically, while Spanish escarabajo names any beetle and can therefore be broader in translation.

Other meanings

  • scarab beetlenoun

Word lists with this word