piranha
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
First attested 1869. Up to now there exist at least three versions on where the name piranha comes from:
- From a hybrid-language composed of Tupi-Guaraní languages; it may be a compound word made of the components pirá (“fish”) + sanha or ranha (“tooth”).
- From Old Tupi pirá (“fish”) + ánha (“cut”).
- From Portuguese piranha, from Old Tupi pira nya, variant of pira'ya (“scissors fish”).
[edit] Noun
piranha (plural piranhas or piranha)
- Any of the carnivorous freshwater fish living in South American rivers and belonging to the families of Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus.
[edit] Translations
South American fish
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[edit] Portuguese
[edit] Etymology
From Old Tupi.
[edit] Noun
piranha f. (plural piranhas)
- piranha
- (pejorative, vulgar, Brazil) slut
