ladilla

Spanish

Etymology

From Old Spanish lada + modern -illa (diminutive suffix), the former (documented since 1042) derived from the feminine of the old adjective lado (“broad”, < Latin lātus), referring to the flat shape of the insect. First attested in Nebrija.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (most of Spain and Latin America) /laˈdiʝa/ [laˈð̞i.ʝa]
IPA^(key): (rural northern Spain, Andes Mountains) /laˈdiʎa/ [laˈð̞i.ʎa]
IPA^(key): (Buenos Aires and environs) /laˈdiʃa/ [laˈð̞i.ʃa]
IPA^(key): (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay) /laˈdiʒa/ [laˈð̞i.ʒa]

Rhymes: -iʝa
Rhymes: -iʎa
Rhymes: -iʃa
Rhymes: -iʒa

Syllabification: la‧di‧lla

Noun

ladilla f (plural ladillas)

crab louse

Adjective

ladilla m or f (masculine and feminine plural ladillas)

(Venezuela, mildly vulgar, slang) annoying, pain in the ass

References

Joan Coromines, José A. Pascual (1984) “ladilla”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico (in Spanish), volumes III (G–Ma), Madrid: Gredos, →ISBN, page 553