piranha

• piraña, pirana
• piraya (obsolete)

First attested in 1869.[1] The first part of the term is from Old Tupi pirá (“fish”). There are several theories regarding the source of second part, including:

• It may be from Old Tupi sanha, sainha (“tooth”), or a Guaraní cognate.[1]
• It may be from Old Tupi ánha, anhá (“cut”) (which also meant "bad" or "devil" in Tupi-Guaraní).[2]
• The full term may have been pira nya, a variant of pira'ya (“scissor-fish”), in Old Tupi.[1]

The term entered English via Portuguese piranha and Spanish piraña.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɪˈɹɑːn(j)ə/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɪˈɹɑn(j)ə/, /pɪˈɹæn(j)ə/

piranha (plural piranhas or piranha)

1. (ichthyology) Any of the carnivorous or frugivorous freshwater fish living in South American rivers and belonging to the subfamily Serrasalminae.

From English piranha, from Old Tupi pirãia (“fish”).

• Hyphenation: pi‧ran‧ha

piranha

1. a piranha

• IPA^(key): /pi.ʁa.na/, /pi.ʁa.ɲa/

• audio

  (file)

piranha m (plural piranhas)

1. piranha

• “piranha”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

From Old Tupi.

• IPA^(key): /piˈraɲ.ɲa/
• Rhymes: -aɲɲa

piranha m (invariable)

1. piranha

Borrowed from Old Tupi pirãia.

• Hyphenation: pi‧ra‧nha

piranha f (plural piranhas)

1. piranha
2. (derogatory, vulgar, Brazil) slut

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:vadia

• piranha-vermelha

• → English: piranha

Borrowed from French piranha.

piranha m (plural piranha)

1. piranha