alcaide
“alcaide” means “warden” in Spanish (the person in charge of a prison).
warden
Also: governor
📝 In Action
El alcaide de la prisión supervisa todas las actividades diarias.
B2The prison warden supervises all daily activities.
En las novelas antiguas, el alcaide del castillo siempre era un caballero leal.
C1In old novels, the governor of the castle was always a loyal knight.
Los prisioneros pidieron hablar directamente con el alcaide.
B2The prisoners asked to speak directly with the warden.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: alcaide
Question 1 of 3
What is the primary difference between an 'alcalde' and an 'alcaide'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Arabic 'al-qā'id', which means 'the leader' or 'the commander'. Like many Spanish words starting with 'al-', it was brought to the Iberian Peninsula during the Moorish period.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'alcaide' used in every Spanish-speaking country?
Yes, but its frequency varies. In some places, 'director de la prisión' is much more common in daily speech, while 'alcaide' remains the formal legal term.
Can I use 'alcaide' to describe a school principal?
No. For a school principal, you should use 'director' or 'directora'.
Is 'alcaide' a masculine or feminine word?
It is masculine (el alcaide). If you are referring to a woman, you would typically use 'la alcaidesa'.