Spanish word

piraña

Pronunciation

IPA/piˈɾaɲa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounpiranha

Example

¿Has visto una piraña alguna vez?

Have you ever seen a piranha?

Illustration for piraña (piranha)

More examples

¡Cuidado, hay pirañas en este río!

Watch out, there are piranhas in this river!

Core concept

Carnivorous freshwater fish noted for visible sharp teeth.

Common phrases

  • ataque de pirañas

    piranha attack

  • mordedura de piraña

    piranha bite

  • banco de pirañas

    school of piranhas

Similar words

pez: Animal living in water that breathes with gills and moves by swimming.
pescado: Fish intended or treated as food, sold or served for eating.
tiburón: Big marine predator with powerful jaws and sharp teeth for hunting.

Definition in Spanish

Designa varios peces de ríos sudamericanos, caracterizados por dientes cortantes y conducta alimentaria a veces colectiva.

Word origin

Introduced into Spanish through Portuguese from the Tupi elements pirá 'fish' plus anha 'tooth', used for river species with noticeable teeth.

Usage tips

  • The noun is feminine in Spanish (la piraña, una piraña), so articles and adjectives must agree.

Word lists with this word