caralho
Portuguese
Etymology
The etymology is uncertain, but the most plausible source on the basis of both semantics and historical phonology appears to be unattested Vulgar Latin *c(h)araculum, which would have been a Latinized diminutive of Ancient Greek χάραξ (khárax, “stick”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr).
Another possibility is Late Latin cassus or its diminutive, carassus (“empty”), eventually used to describe a crow's nest on a ship.
Certain cognates include Spanish carajo, Galician carallo and Catalan carall. Attempts to attribute Italian same-meaning cazzo to the same etymon fail on phonological grounds, as the /r/ of carajo (or its absence in cazzo) remains unexplained, and no Latin phonological sequence develops as both /x/ in Spanish and /tts/ in Italian.
Pronunciation
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /kɐˈɾaʎu/
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /kaˈɾaʎu/
- Rhymes: -aʎu
- Hyphenation: ca‧ra‧lho
Noun
caralho m (plural caralhos)
- (slang, vulgar) penis; dick; cock
- (slang, vulgar) shit; crap; worthless stuff or thing
Synonyms
- (penis): pinto, piroca, jeba, etc.
- (shit): merda, porra, droga, porcaria, lixo, etc.
Interjection
caralho
- (slang, vulgar) fuck!
Related terms
- pênis