Spanish word

trompa

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtɾompa/

Meaning

  • feminine nountrunk

Example

¿Has visto la trompa del elefante?

Have you seen the elephant's trunk?

Illustration for trompa (trunk)

More examples

El elefante mueve la trompa para beber agua.

The elephant moves its trunk to drink water.

Core concept

Long prehensile muscular nasal organ of an elephant used to pick up objects and draw water.

Common phrases

  • mover la trompa

    move the trunk

  • sujetar con la trompa

    grasp with the trunk

  • la trompa de un elefante

    elephant's trunk

Similar words

nariz: Central facial organ for inhaling, exhaling, and detecting scents.
hocico: Elongated snout or muzzle formed by the nose and mouth projecting from an animal's face.

Definition in Spanish

Denomina la prolongación nasal del elefante, un órgano largo y musculoso que sirve para manipular objetos, succionar líquidos y percibir olores.

Word origin

Borrowed from medieval Romance trompe/tromba (Old French/Occitan) 'tube, trumpet', with the instrumental sense transferred to the elephant's nasal organ by likeness of form.

Usage tips

  • English 'trunk' has senses (car trunk, luggage) that trompa does not share, so trompa normally means the animal's nose or a horn, not baggage or a car boot.

Other meanings

  • hornnoun
  • proboscisnoun

Word lists with this word