pirãîa

Old Tupi

pirãîa

Alternative forms

• piranha
• pirãia (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈɾã.ja/
• Rhymes: -ãja
• Hyphenation: pi‧rã‧îa

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *pirãj. By surface analysis, pirá (“fish”) +‎ ãî (“toothed”) +‎ -a.

Cognate with Guaraní pirãi.

Noun

pirãîa (unpossessable)

1. piranha (any of the carnivorous freshwater fish living in South American rivers and belonging to the subfamily Serrasalminae)

Derived terms

• pirãîatinga
• pirãîgûara

 

Descendants

• Nheengatu: piranha
• → Portuguese: piranha
  • → English: piranha

Etymology 2

By surface analysis, pirá (“fish”) +‎ ãîa (“tooth”).

Noun

pirãîa (possessable)

1. scissors

Descendants

• Nheengatu: piranha