Spanish–English dictionary

matador

One who engages in bullfighting; a toreador or matador.

matadora

A person who commits murder.

matalahúva

An umbelliferous plant (Pimpinella anisum) growing naturally in Egypt, and cultivated in Spain, Malta, etc., for its carminative and aromatic seeds, which are used as a spice. It has a licorice scent.

mataleón

(martial arts, wrestling) A grappling hold around a person's neck, especially one in which the neck is grasped tightly from behind with an arm, cutting off the flow of blood to the brain and restricting breathing.

matalón

An old jaded horse.

matamoscas

A poisonous and hallucinogenic mushroom, Amanita muscaria, with a large crimson cap, fading to yellow, scattered with white flecks.

matanza

A slaughter; destruction of life, notably on a large scale.

matar

(transitive) To slaughter (animals) and prepare (meat) for market.

matar el hambre

(transitive) To fill to satisfaction; to satisfy.

matar la sed

(transitive) To satisfy, especially a literal or figurative thirst.

matarife

A person who prepares and sells meat (and sometimes also slaughters the animals).

matasanos

(pejorative) A fraudulent healer, especially a bombastic peddler in worthless treatments, a doctor who makes false diagnoses for monetary benefit, or an untrained or poorly trained doctor who uses fraudulent credentials to attract patients [from c. 1630]

matasellar

(transitive) To apply a postmark on.

matasellos

A marking made by a postal service on a delivery, usually indicating the place where and the date and time when the item was received or processed for the first time, mostly serving to cancel a postage stamp.

matasiete

Someone who constantly brags or boasts. [from late 16th c.]

matatena

(games) A children's game involving picking up objects; knucklebones; jackstones.

matatenas

(games) A children's game involving picking up objects; knucklebones; jackstones.

mate

(chess) Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.

matemática

An expert on mathematics; someone who studies mathematics.

matemáticamente

According to or using mathematics.

matemático

Of, or relating to mathematics

Mateo

A en given name of biblical origin.

materia

Subject matter; semantic information (or a portion or body thereof); that which is contained in writing, speech, video, etc.

materia para reflexionar

(idiomatic) Information or knowledge that is worthy of contemplation.

materia plástica

A synthetic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer, whether thermoplastic or thermosetting.

materia prima

(economics) Raw materials, agricultural and other primary products as objects of large-scale trading in specialized exchanges.

material

The physical means or contrivances to make something (especially a public service) possible; the required equipment, infrastructure, location etc. [from 19th c.]

material fundido

Molten material, the product of melting.

material recuperado

(sometimes, attributive) Anything put to good use that would otherwise have been wasted, such as damaged goods.

material rocoso

(countable, uncountable, geology, mining, engineering, construction) The solid rock found at some depth below the ground surface.

materialista

Materialistic.

materialización

(internet, video games) A complex and dynamic digital representation of a person or being in the form of a digital model, used online as a simulation or emulation of a person, or as a person's online alter ego, in a virtual world, virtual chat room, or metaverse.

materializar

(transitive) To cause to take physical form, or to cause an object to appear.

maternidad

The state of being a mother.

maternidad subrogada

The practice of being a surrogate mother.

Mathusalam

The oldest person whose age is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, having reportedly lived 969 years.

Matías

A en given name of biblical origin.

matidez

Mattness, the quality of a painted surface which scatters or absorbs the light falling on it, so as to be substantially free from gloss or sheen

Matilde

A en given name.

matina

The early part of the day, especially from midnight to noon. [from 13th c.]

matinal

A showing of a movie, sporting event, or theatrical performance in the morning or afternoon.

matiné

A showing of a movie, sporting event, or theatrical performance in the morning or afternoon.

matino

The early part of the day, especially from midnight to noon. [from 13th c.]

matiz

A color, or shade of color; tint; dye.

matización

A clause or condition which qualifies something; a modification, a limitation. [from 16th c.]

matizado

Having nuances; possessed of multiple layers of detail, pattern, or meaning.

matizar

(transitive) To apply a nuance to; to change or redefine in a subtle way.

matón

A hired thug.

matonaje

An act of intimidating a person to do something, especially such repeated coercion.

matonear

(transitive) To intimidate (someone) as a bully.

matorral

(uncountable) Wild vegetation, generally larger than grass but smaller than trees. See shrubland.

matraca

A pawl, click, or detent for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.

matraz

A flat-bottomed, straight-sided, glass vessel, with a lip and often a small spout, used as a laboratory container.

matriarca

A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group.

matrícula

An identifying tag, usually made of metal, bearing a sequence of letters or numbers identifying the vehicle, and placed at the rear and, often, also at the front of a motor vehicle.

matriculación

(countable, uncountable) The act of signing up or registering for something.

matricularse a

(transitive) To enter in a register; to enlist.

matricularse en

(transitive) To enter in a register; to enlist.

matrimonial

Of, or having to do with matrimony and marriage.

matrimonio

(often, _, specifically) The union of two people of opposite sex, to the exclusion of all others.

matriz

The perforated plate in a punching machine on which anything rests when being punched.

matriz de evaluación

(education) A set of scoring criteria for evaluating student work and for giving feedback.

matriz traspuesta

(linear algebra) The process of rearranging elements in a matrix, by interchanging their respective row and column positional indicators.

matrón

(medicine) A person, especially a man, who delivers a baby (in childbirth).

matrona

A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.

matronal

In the capacity of a matron; serving as a housekeeper or head nurse.

matronalmente

In the manner of a matron.

matula

(countable) A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.

Matusalén

The oldest person whose age is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, having reportedly lived 969 years.

matzá

(uncountable) Thin, unleavened bread in Jewish cuisine.

maula

(slang) A defective or inadequate item or individual.

maullar

(intransitive) Of a cat, to make its cry.

maullido

(countable) The cry of a cat.

Mauricio

A en given name, equivalent to English Morris.

máuser

Any of the firearms made or designed by the German company Mauser, notably automatic pistols and bolt action rifles.

mausoleo

A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.

maxi-

Denotes a larger than usual version of an item.

máxima

A precept; a succinct statement or observation of a rule of conduct or moral teaching.

máxime

Of prime importance; before anything else; especially.

Maximiliano

A en given name, rare in English.

maximizar

(transitive) To make as large as possible.

máximo

Largest, greatest (in magnitude), highest, most.

máximum

(statistics) The largest value of a batch or sample or the upper bound of a probability distribution.

maya

The Yucatec Maya language.

mayal

A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle (handstock) with a shorter stick (swipple or swingle) attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.

mayal de armas

A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.

mayate

(LGBT slang) A person who penetrates or has a preference for penetrating during intercourse.

mayo

The fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June.

mayonesa

Any cold dish with that dressing as an ingredient.

mayor

(informal) Adult; (of a child) older.

mayor de edad

A person of legal age.

mayor enemigo

A principal enemy.

mayor fuerza

The full adverse effects; the chief consequences or negative results of a thing or event.

mayordomía

The act of caring for or improving with time.

mayordomo

The chief male servant of a household who has charge of other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services.

mayoreo

(business) The sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants.

mayoría

(uncountable) Maturity; especially, the time of life at which one attains full personal rights and capacities.

mayorista

A person or company that buys merchandise from manufacturers, importers, or distributors and resells the merchandise to retail businesses and to business and institutional end users.

mayoritario

Widespread or preferred.

mayormente

For the most part; mainly or chiefly.

mayúscula

(slang, dated) used as an expression of approval, satisfaction, or delight.

mayusculizar

(transitive) In writing or editing, to write (something: either an entire word or text, or just the initial letter(s) thereof) in capital letters, in upper case.

maza

A short, heavy club, often of wood, which is thicker or loaded at one end.

maza de armas

A ceremonial form of this weapon.

mazacote

A shapeless or amorphous mass; a vague shape or amount, especially of a liquid or semisolid substance; a clump, group or collection that lacks definite shape.

mazacotudo

Glue-like, sticky, viscid.

mazapán

A confection made from a paste of almonds, sugar and egg white as a binder.

mazazo

A damaging occurrence.

mazmorra

An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.

mazo

A short heavy club with a rounded head used as a weapon.

mazorca

Cooked ears of corn (maize, specifically sweet corn).

mbopa

(slang) A person's name.

me

(colloquial, proscribed) Myself; as a reflexive indirect object of a verb; the ethical dative.

me cago en Dios

(blasphemous) An expletive.

me disgusta

(Internet) An individual vote showing disapproval of, or lack of support for, something posted on the Internet.

me gusta

Indicates that the speaker likes the interlocutor.

me lo pido

(informal) Used to claim this right.

me lo reservo

(informal) Used to claim this right.

meadero

A plumbing fixture intended for standing urination, typically by men and boys.

meandro

(geography) One of a series of regular sinuous curves, bends, loops, turns, or windings in the channel of a river, stream, or other watercourse

meapilas

A deliberately superior person; a person who demonstrates an exaggerated conformity or propriety, especially in an irritatingly arrogant or smug manner.

mear

(slang) To urinate.

mearse

(transitive) To cover or impregnate with liquid.

meca

(figuratively, sometimes, _, offensive) Any place considered to be a very important place to visit by people with a particular interest.

mecachis

A mild expletive, expressing disbelief or disdain

mecánica

(physics) The branch of physics that deals with the action of forces on material objects with mass

mecánico

A constructor of machines and engines; someone knowledgeable about machines.

mecanismo

A mechanism powered by a coiled spring and regulated by some form of escapement; the power is transmitted through toothed gearwheels and used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device.

mecanismo de relojería

A mechanism powered by a coiled spring and regulated by some form of escapement; the power is transmitted through toothed gearwheels and used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device.

mecanismo relojero

A mechanism powered by a coiled spring and regulated by some form of escapement; the power is transmitted through toothed gearwheels and used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device.

mecanización

The use of machinery to replace human or animal labour, especially in agriculture and industry.

mecanógrafa

A person who types, a clerical worker who writes letters, etc., using a typewriter.

mecanografiar

To enter text or commands into a computer using a keyboard.

mecanógrafo

A person who types, a clerical worker who writes letters, etc., using a typewriter.

mecatazo

(by extension) A long draught from a drink. [from 1620s]

mecate

A string or cord, encased in a fabric tube, with one or more small openings into the tube, on a bag or garment, allowing the item to be closed (as with a bag) or tightened (as with sweatpants or a bathing suit).

mecatear

To eat between meals.

mecenas

A generous benefactor; specifically, a patron of literature or art.

mecer

(transitive, informal) To con, defraud, trick, to make a fool of, to humbug or impose on someone.

mecerse

(intransitive) To rotate about an off-centre fixed point.

mecha

A cord that, when lit, conveys the fire to some explosive device, such as a bomb.

mechado

Of cooked meat, prepared by being torn into fine pieces.

mechar

(cooking) To stuff (meat) with bacon or pork before cooking.

mechero

(science) A small laboratory gas burner whose air supply may be controlled with an adjustable hole.

mechón

A thick group or bunch, especially of bushes or hair.

meconio

(medicine) A dark green mass, the contents of the fetal intestines during the later stages of mammalian gestation, that forms the first feces of the newborn.

mecos

(uncountable, chiefly, UK, vulgar, slang) Semen.

medalla de oro

☉ (alchemy)

medallista

Someone who has received a medal. [from 18th c.]

medallón

A large medal, usually decorative.