menina

See also: meniña

Portuguese

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Galician-Portuguese menynna, from menynno.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɨ.ˈni.nɐ/
• IPA^(key): /mi.ˈni.na/, /mi.ˈni.nɐ/
• Hyphenation: me‧ni‧no

Noun

menina f (plural s)

1. girl (female child)

   Doutor, é menino ou menina?

   Doctor, is it a boy or a girl?

2. young lady, miss (a title of respect for an unmarried young woman)

   Pode sentar-se aqui, menina.

   You may sit here, miss.

3. (derogatory) an effeminate boy
4. (Portugal, euphemistic, usually in the plural) prostitute

   Ele tornou-se frequentador assíduo de casas de meninas.

   He became a regular frequenter of brothels.

Synonyms

• (girl): garota, guria, rapariga, moça, miúda, cachopa
• (prostitute): rapariga, prostituta

Descendants

• Spanish: menina

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Spanish

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Portuguese menina (“girl”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Galician-Portuguese menynna, from menynno (“boy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /meˈnina/ [meˈni.na]

Noun

menina f (plural meninas)

1. a court maid of honour

Usage notes

• Do not confuse with niña (“girl”).