caneta

Portuguese

caneta (esferográfica)

Etymology

From cana (“cane, reed”) +‎ -eta. Sense 3 is a derivation from sense 2 (itself an analogy), originally as the expression "tocar a bola por entre as canetas" ("play the ball between the legs").

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Brazil) /kaˈne.tɐ/, [kaˈne.tɐ]

• IPA^(key): (Portugal) /kɐˈne.tɐ/, [kɐˈne.tɐ]

• Hyphenation: ca‧ne‧ta

Noun

caneta f (plural canetas)

1. pen (writing tool)
2. (Portugal, colloquial) leg (lower limb)

   Já não me aguento das canetas. ― My legs are tired.

3. (Brazil, soccer/football) nutmeg (action of playing the ball between the legs of an opponent)

   Ela deu uma caneta na zagueira e arrematou no gol. ― She nutmegged the defender and shot to the goal.

   Synonyms: (Portugal) cueca, (Portugal) cuequinha

Coordinate terms

• lápis

Derived terms

• caneta hidrográfica
• caneta esferográfica

Descendants

• → Hunsrik: Kanett