caralho

Portuguese

Etymology

The etymology is uncertain, but the most plausible source on the basis of both semantics and historical phonology appears to be unattested Vulgar Latin *c(h)araculum, which would have been a Latinized diminutive of Ancient Greek χάραξ (khárax, “stick”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr).

Another possibility is Late Latin cassus or its diminutive, carassus (“empty”), eventually used to describe a crow's nest on a ship.

Certain cognates include Spanish carajo, Galician carallo and Catalan carall. Attempts to attribute Italian same-meaning cazzo to the same etymon fail on phonological grounds, as the /r/ of carajo (or its absence in cazzo) remains unexplained, and no Latin phonological sequence develops as both /x/ in Spanish and /tts/ in Italian.

Pronunciation

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /kɐˈɾaʎu/
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾaʎu/
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Rhymes: -aʎu
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Hyphenation: ca‧ra‧lho

Noun

caralho m (plural caralhos)

1. (slang, vulgar) penis; dick; cock
2. (slang, vulgar) shit; crap; worthless stuff or thing

Synonyms

• (penis): pinto, piroca, jeba, Template:irei, etc.
• (shit): merda, porra, droga, porcaria, lixo, etc.

Interjection

caralho

1. (slang, vulgar) fuck!

Related terms

• pênis