zapallo

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Quechua sapallu.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /θaˈpaʝo/ [θaˈpa.ʝo] (Spain, Equatorial Guinea)

• IPA^(key): /θaˈpaʝo/ [θaˈpa.ʝo] (most of Spain, Equatorial Guinea)
• IPA^(key): /θaˈpaʎo/ [θaˈpa.ʎo] (rustic northern Spain)

 

• IPA^(key): /saˈpaʝo/ [saˈpa.ʝo] (Latin America)

• IPA^(key): /saˈpaʝo/ [saˈpa.ʝo] (most of Latin America)
• IPA^(key): /saˈpaʎo/ [saˈpa.ʎo] (northern and central Andes Mountains (except central Ecuador), Bolivia, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, Philippines)
• IPA^(key): /saˈpaʃo/ [saˈpa.ʃo] (Buenos Aires and environs)
• IPA^(key): /saˈpaʒo/ [saˈpa.ʒo] (central Ecuador, Santiago del Estero and environs, elsewhere in Pampas and southern Argentina, Uruguay)
• IPA^(key): /saˈpajo/ [saˈpa.jo] (northern Mexico, Yucatán, Central America (except Panama))

• Audio (Chile):

  (file)

• Audio (Peru):

  (file)

 

• Rhymes: -aʝo

• Rhymes: -aʝo (Spain, most of Latin America, Equatorial Guinea)
• Rhymes: -aʎo (rustic northern Spain, northern and central Andes Mountains (except central Ecuador), Bolivia, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, Philippines)
• Rhymes: -aʃo (Buenos Aires and environs)
• Rhymes: -aʒo (central Ecuador, Santiago del Estero and environs, elsewhere in Pampas and southern Argentina, Uruguay)
• Rhymes: -ajo (northern Mexico, Yucatán, Central America (except Panama))

• Syllabification: za‧pa‧llo

Noun

zapallo m (plural zapallos)

1. zucchini, courgette

   Synonyms: calabacín, zapallito, calabacita, zapallo italiano

2. pumpkin, gourd

   Synonyms: calabaza, auyama, ahuyama

Usage notes

• Zapallo is used predominantly in South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Panama. Elsewhere, calabaza is more commonly used.

Derived terms

• zapallito
• zapallo amargo
• zapallo anco
• zapallo caspi
• zapallo criollo

Further reading

• “zapallo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025