huerco

Old Spanish

Etymology

From Latin Orcus (“the underworld; the god Pluto”). Cognate with Old French ogre (“fierce non-Christian; fairytale man-eating giant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈweɾko/

Noun

huerco m (plural huercos)

1. Hell
   • ca. 1439, Juan de Mena, Comentario a la "Coronación del Marqués de Santillana" :

     era él [...] esclaresçido rey e señor don Juan de Castilla e de León [...] enbiando las sus ánimas a la boca del huerco, conviene a saber del infierno

     He was the illuminated king and lord John of Castile and Leon [...] who sent [Muslims'] souls to the doors of Orcus, by which is meant Hell

2. the Devil
   • ca. 1305 CE, anonymous, Libro del cavallero Cifar :

     ¿e dó huirá el que al huerco deue?

     And where can someone who owes the Devil escape to?

Descendants

• Spanish: huerco
• Ladino: guerko, huerco (Haketia)

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Spanish huerco (“Hell; the Devil”), from Latin Orcus (“the underworld; the god Pluto”). Cognate with English ogre and orc. Doublet of orco and ogro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈw̝eɾko/ [ˈw̝eɾ.ko]
• Rhymes: -eɾko
• Syllabification: huer‧co

Noun

huerco m (plural huercos, feminine huerca, feminine plural huercas)

1. (Louisiana, Mexico) little child

   Synonyms: niño; escuincle (Mexico, colloquial)

2. (literary) depressed man crying in the dark
3. (literary) the Greco-Roman underworld

   Synonym: inframundo

Further reading

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