Spanish word

niebla

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈnjeβla/

Meaning

  • feminine nounfog

Example

Esta mañana hay niebla en la carretera.

There is fog on the road this morning.

Illustration for niebla (fog)

More examples

Poco a poco empezó a levantar la niebla.

Little by little, the fog began to lift.

Core concept

Mistlike cloud close to the surface that causes poor visibility.

Common phrases

  • levantar la niebla

    lift the fog

  • niebla espesa

    thick fog

  • niebla costera

    coastal fog

Similar words

neblina: Light mist concentrated in a small area that only mildly obscures vision.
bruma: Moist, marine haze near shorelines that leaves views faint and slightly blurred.
neblón: Extremely dense fog with near-zero visibility that envelops roads and fields.
calima: Windblown dust or sand creating a dry haze that lowers clarity of distant views.

Definition in Spanish

Designa la nube formada por pequeñas gotas de agua en suspensión cerca del suelo y que reduce la visibilidad.

Word origin

From Latin nebula 'cloud, mist' via medieval nebla, with normal sound changes yielding the modern Spanish form niebla.

Usage tips

  • Spanish niebla should not be confused with English nebula, which refers to astronomical clouds, and for ground fog Spanish uses the phrase 'hay niebla' or the noun 'la niebla'.

Other meanings

  • mistnoun
  • hazenoun

Related words

  • nebulosofoggyadjective

Word lists with this word