piranha

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See also: Piranha

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Red-bellied piranha

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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First attested in 1869.[1] The first part of the term is from Old Tupi pirá (fish). There are several theories regarding the source of second part, including:

  • It may be from Old Tupi sanha, sainha (tooth), or a Guaraní cognate.[1]
  • It may be from Old Tupi ánha, anhá (cut) (which also meant "bad" or "devil" in Tupi-Guaraní).[2]
  • The full term may have been pira nya, a variant of pira'ya (scissor-fish), in Old Tupi.[1]

The term entered English via Portuguese piranha and Spanish piraña.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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piranha (plural piranhas or piranha)

  1. (ichthyology) Any of the carnivorous or frugivorous freshwater fish living in South American rivers and belonging to the subfamily Serrasalminae.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 piranha”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
  2. ^ Britton, A. Scott. Guaraní: Guaraní-English, English-Guaraní ; concise dictionary. New York: Hippocrene Books, 2005. Print.

Cebuano

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Etymology

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From English piranha, from Old Tupi pirãia (fish).

Pronunciation

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  • Hyphenation: pi‧ran‧ha

Noun

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piranha

  1. a piranha

French

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French Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia fr

Pronunciation

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Noun

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piranha m (plural piranhas)

  1. piranha

Further reading

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Italian

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Etymology

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From Old Tupi.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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piranha m (invariable)

  1. piranha

Portuguese

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Old Tupi pirãia.

Pronunciation

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  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /piˈɾɐ̃.ɲɐ/ [piˈɾɐ̃.j̃ɐ]
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /piˈɾɐ.ɲa/
 

  • Hyphenation: pi‧ra‧nha

Noun

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piranha f (plural piranhas)

  1. piranha
  2. (derogatory, vulgar, Brazil) slut
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:vadia

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • English: piranha

Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French piranha.

Noun

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piranha m (plural piranha)

  1. piranha

Declension

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