Spanish word

silbato

Pronunciation

IPA/silˈβato/

Meaning

  • masculine nounwhistle

Example

Si te pierdes, sopla el silbato para llamar la atención.

If you get lost, blow the whistle to attract attention.

Illustration for silbato (whistle)

More examples

Durante el partido, el árbitro sopló el silbato para señalar el final.

During the match, the referee blew the whistle to signal the end.

Core concept

Handheld whistle blown to make a short, piercing signal used in sports, safety, or games.

Common phrases

  • soplar el silbato

    blow the whistle

  • hacer sonar el silbato

    sound the whistle

  • el silbato del árbitro

    referee's whistle

Similar words

pito: Very small handheld whistle blown to attract attention or give a quick, casual signal.
silbido: Short, sharp noise produced by a person or object, a quick high-pitched sound.

Definition in Spanish

Instrumento portátil que se toca soplando para emitir un silbido corto y llamativo usado en deportes, seguridad o juegos.

Word origin

Formed by nominalizing silbar with the suffix -ato and ultimately derived from Latin sibilare 'to hiss', the word names an instrument that emits a short whistle.

Usage tips

  • Spanish distinguishes el silbato for the instrument and silbido for the noise, and pitar frequently describes sounding a whistle in sports or by a referee.

Opposites

Word lists with this word