comprachico

English

Etymology

Coined from Spanish roots by the French writer Victor Hugo in his 1869 novel L'Homme qui rit (The Man Who Laughs). The word is not generally known in Spanish.

Noun

comprachico (plural comprachicos)

(folklore) A person who deliberately mutilates a growing child in order to induce freakish physical traits.
- 1969, Günther Weisenborn, The Man Without a Face (page 10)
  But here in England a comprachico is equal to a murderer, a candidate for the hangman's noose.
- 2016, George Eliot, Impressions of Theophrastus Such: Top Novelist Focus
  He is angry and equips himself accordingly—with a penknife to give the offender a comprachico countenance, a mirror to show him the effect, and a pair of nailed boots to give him his dismissal.

Translations

Finnish: comprachico
French: comprachico (fr) m
German: Comprachico m

French

Etymology

From Spanish compar (“to buy”) + chico (“kid”), coined by Victor Hugo in 1869.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.pʁa.ʃi.ko/

Noun

comprachico m (plural comprachicos)

comprachico