perra gorda

Spanish

Etymology

Literally, “fat dog”. The 10 peseta céntimos and 5 peseta céntimos coins had a poorly drawn lion on their reverse, leading people to start calling the lion humorously a perra (she-dog). As the 10 céntimos coin was the biggest of both, the coin was called perra gorda.

Noun

perra gorda f (plural perras gordas)

1. (Spain, colloquial, historical) 10 céntimos coin

   Synonym: perra grande

   Coordinate term: perra chica

Derived terms

• para ti la perra gorda

 

Descendants

• → Basque: txakur handi (calque)

Further reading

• “perra gorda, o perra grande”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014