Spanish Conversation · Level 72
60 words
Spanish word
fruncir
Pronunciation
IPA/fɾunˈθiɾ/
Meaning
- verbfrown
Example
Él frunció el ceño al escuchar la noticia.
He frowned when he heard the news.
More examples
Ella frunce los labios al probar la sopa fría.
She puckers her lips when she tastes the cold soup.
Core concept
A knitted brow signaling doubt, displeasure, or concentration.
Common phrases
fruncir el ceño
furrow one's brow
fruncir los labios
pucker one's lips
Similar words
arrugar: Creates soft lines across the forehead or between the brows by gathering the skin.
torcer: Contorts a facial feature (mouth, nose, brow) into an awkward shape expressing dislike or doubt.
Definition in Spanish
Arrugar la frente o las cejas y acercarlas al centro como signo de disgusto, duda o concentración.
Word origin
The root is Latin frons 'forehead', and a Vulgar Latin form meaning 'gather the brow' develops into Spanish fruncir.
Usage tips
- When fruncir is used with los labios it means 'purse the lips' rather than 'frown', so the direct object determines whether it refers to brows or lips.
Other meanings
- purseverb
Opposites
- sonreírsmileverb
Related words
- fruncidowrinkledadjective
- fruncimientofrownnoun