bigote
“bigote” means “mustache” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
mustache
Also: moustache
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo tiene un bigote muy grande y gris.
A1My grandfather has a very big, gray mustache.
Se está dejando crecer el bigote para un evento de caridad.
A2He is growing out his mustache for a charity event.
whiskers
📝 In Action
El gato movía sus bigotes para sentir el aire.
B1The cat moved its whiskers to feel the air.
Los bigotes de los ratones son muy sensibles.
B2Mice's whiskers are very sensitive.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: bigote
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'bigote' to describe a cat?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'bigote' likely entered Spanish from the French 'bigot' or possibly German 'bei Gott!' (by God!), which was used as a common oath. Over time, it came to refer to the facial hair of people, particularly soldiers, who often used such oaths, eventually settling on the meaning of 'mustache' around the 16th century.
First recorded: 16th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'bigote' the only word for 'mustache' in Spanish?
No, 'mostacho' is another word for mustache, although 'bigote' is generally more common and standard across most Spanish-speaking regions.
Why is 'bigote' masculine if it ends in 'e'?
The gender of nouns in Spanish often follows patterns, but there are many exceptions. 'Bigote' is simply one of those words that you must memorize as masculine (el bigote).