bicho-papão

Portuguese

Etymology

From bicho (“beast”) +‎ papão (“glutton”). The legend says the creature would come at night to eat mischievous children, thus originating its name.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌbi.ʃu.paˈpɐ̃w̃/ [ˌbi.ʃu.paˈpɐ̃ʊ̯̃]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌbi.ʃu.paˈpɐ̃w̃/ [ˌbi.ʃu.paˈpɐ̃ʊ̯̃]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌbi.ʃo.paˈpɐ̃w̃/ [ˌbi.ʃo.paˈpɐ̃ʊ̯̃]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˌbi.ʃu.pɐˈpɐ̃w̃/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˌbi.ʃu.pɐˈpɐ̃w̃/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˌbi.t͡ʃu.pɐˈpɐ̃w̃/

• Hyphenation: bi‧cho‧-pa‧pão

Noun

bicho-papão m (plural bichos-papões)

1. bogeyman (menacing, ghost-like monster in children’s stories)

   Synonym: papão

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:bicho-papão.