espalda

Asturian

Etymology

From metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla, from Late Latin spatula (“broad, flat piece”), from classical Latin spatha.

Noun

espalda f (plural espaldes)

1. back

Related terms

• espada

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Ladino

Etymology

From Old Spanish espalda, from metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla, from Late Latin spatula (“broad, flat piece”), from classical Latin spatha.

Noun

espalda f (Latin spelling, plural espaldas)

1. (anatomy) back

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Old Spanish

Etymology

From metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla(m), from Late Latin spatulam, accusative of spatula (“broad, flat piece”), from classical Latin spatha.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /esˈpalda/

Noun

espalda f (plural espaldas)

1. (anatomy) back
   • c. 1250, Alfonso X, Lapidario, f. 106r.

     […] la uertud de figura de mugier con alas que eſte leuantada en pie. ¬ con los cabellos luengos echados atras. ¬ eſparzidos ſobre las eſpaldas.

     […] the virtue of the figure of the winged woman who is standing on one foot, her hair long and drawn back, and spread over her back.

Related terms

• espada

Descendants

• Ladino: espalda (Latin spelling)
• Spanish: espalda

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Spanish

Sense 1

Etymology

From Old Spanish espalda, from metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla, from Latin spatula (“broad, flat piece”) (compare Catalan espatlla (“shoulder”), French épaule (“shoulder”), Portuguese espádua (“scapula, shoulder”)), diminutive of Latin spatha (“straight sword”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /esˈpalda/ [esˈpal̪.d̪a]

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alda
• Hyphenation: es‧pal‧da

Noun

espalda f (plural espaldas)

1. back

   Synonym: espaldar

2. (swimming) backstroke

Derived terms

• a espaldas
• dar la espalda
• desespaldar
• entre la espada y la pared
• espalda mojada
• espaldar
• espaldero
• espaldón
• respaldar

 

Related terms

• espada

Further reading

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