Spanish word

perilla

Pronunciation

IPA/peˈɾiʝa/

Meaning

  • feminine noungoatee

Example

¿Por qué te dejaste la perilla?

Why did you let your goatee grow?

Illustration for perilla (goatee)

More examples

Mi vecino cuida la perilla con aceite todas las mañanas.

My neighbor grooms his goatee with oil every morning.

Core concept

Small tuft of hair on the chin.

Common phrases

  • cuidar la perilla

    groom the goatee

  • modelar la perilla

    shape the goatee

Similar words

barba: Longer facial hair covering the chin and cheeks.
bigote: Hair on the upper lip just under the nose.
patilla: Hair at the sides of the face from in front of the ear down the cheek.
candado: Facial hair joined around the mouth, forming a ring over the chin and lips.

Definition in Spanish

Pelo localizado únicamente en la barbilla que forma un mechón o barba parcial, sin cubrir la mayor parte del rostro.

Word origin

From Latin perilla 'little pear' (diminutive of pera), originally referring to small pear-shaped objects and later extended to a small tuft of chin hair.

Usage tips

  • In conversational Spanish perilla denotes chin hair only (not a full beard), and speakers commonly say 'llevar perilla' or 'dejarse la perilla' to mention it.

Other meanings

  • knobnoun
  • shisonoun

Word lists with this word