araña
“araña” means “spider” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
spider
📝 In Action
Mi hermana le tiene miedo a las arañas pequeñas.
A1My sister is afraid of small spiders.
La araña tejió su telaraña entre las ramas del árbol.
A2The spider wove its web between the branches of the tree.
chandelier
Also: candelabrum
📝 In Action
Encendieron la araña de cristal para iluminar el salón.
B2They turned on the crystal chandelier to light up the hall.
La tienda de antigüedades vendía una araña de hierro muy antigua.
C1The antique shop was selling a very old iron chandelier.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: araña
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'araña' to refer to an inanimate object?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin term *aranea*, which meant 'spider' or 'spider's web'. The meaning for the light fixture developed much later, based on the visual similarity of the fixture's branching arms to the legs of the creature.
First recorded: Documented in Spanish since the Middle Ages.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué 'araña' significa dos cosas tan diferentes?
The two meanings are connected by their appearance. The original meaning is the spider. The second meaning, 'chandelier,' came about because the light fixture has many radiating arms that look like the legs of a large spider.