badulaque

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Andalusian Arabic بَرْدِلَاقَس (berdilāqaš, “common purslane”), from Latin portulāca. Doublet of verdolaga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baduˈlake/ [ba.ð̞uˈla.ke]
• Rhymes: -ake
• Syllabification: ba‧du‧la‧que

Adjective

badulaque m or f (masculine and feminine plural badulaques)

1. (offensive, obsolete, Spain) dumb, having the properties of an imbecile

Noun

badulaque m or f by sense (plural badulaques)

1. (offensive, obsolete in Spain) dimwit, imbecile
   • 1926, Roberto Arlt, “El juguete rabioso”, in El juguete rabioso:

     Maximito, origen de tantas desaveniencias, era un badulaque de veintiocho años, que se avergonzaba de ser judío y tener la profesión de pintor.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• In Spain, this word is employed to refer to the Kwik-E-Mart, a fictional convenience store inside the universe of the American television series The Simpsons. This may be due to the phonetic similarity of the term to an undefined Indian language, as the owner, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, has roots in that country.

Noun

badulaque m (plural badulaques)

1. (historical, Spain) chanfaina
2. (historical, Spain) a cosmetic made of various plants and herbs

Further reading

• “badulaque”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014