Spanish Conversation · Level 32
90 words
Spanish word
tapón
Pronunciation
IPA/taˈpon/
Meaning
- masculine nounplug
Example
Quita el tapón de la botella antes de beber.
Remove the plug from the bottle before drinking.
More examples
En la autopista hay un tapón y llegaremos más tarde.
There is a jam on the highway and we'll arrive later.
Core concept
Bottle or tube stopper that seals an opening.
Common phrases
poner el tapón
put the stopper on
tapón de corcho
cork plug
tapón de rosca
screw-on cap
Similar words
tapa: Thin removable cover that lies on top of a container's mouth to close it.
corcho: Natural cork stopper, typically tapered and inserted into wine bottles.
Definition in Spanish
Objeto que cierra la boca de una botella, un tubo o un recipiente para impedir la salida o entrada de líquido, aire u otra sustancia.
Word origin
It is formed from tapar 'to cover' plus the suffix -ón, producing a noun meaning 'thing that covers or blocks'.
Usage tips
- Can mean a physical stopper, a clog in a pipe, or a traffic jam, so a specifying phrase like 'de botella', 'en la tubería', or 'en la carretera' clarifies the sense.
Other meanings
- stoppernoun
- blockagenoun
- capnoun
Opposites
- destapeunpluggingnoun
- aperturaopeningnoun
Related words
- taponearstop upverb
- taponeostopperingnoun