ratlla

Catalan

Etymology 1

Uncertain. From Old Catalan ralla, raylla; perhaps a Deverbal from ratllar, from Vulgar Latin *rallare or *radulare.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈraʎ.ʎə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ˈra.ʎə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencian) [ˈra.ʎa]

Noun

ratlla f (plural ratlles)

1. line

   llegir entre ratlles ― to read between the lines

   fer quatre ratlles ― to write a short text (quatre ~ four used as an indeterminate number or a few)

   passar ratlla ― to cross out

2. scratch
3. furrow
4. (also figurative) limit, border

   Synonyms: límit, terme

   passar de la ratlla ― to be out of line, to cross the line, to go over the top, to break the rules

5. parting (of hair)

   Synonym: clenxa

6. (typography) dash

Derived terms

• tres en ratlla

Related terms

• ratllar
• ratllador
• ratllada
• ratllant

Further reading

• “ratlla” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “ratlla”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “ratlla” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “ratlla” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Etymology 2

Verb

ratlla

1. inflection of ratllar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative