calavera
“calavera” means “skull” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
skull
Also: sugar skull, satirical poem
📝 In Action
El pirata tenía una calavera en su bandera.
A1The pirate had a skull on his flag.
Compré una calavera de azúcar con mi nombre.
A2I bought a sugar skull with my name on it.
Escribimos una calavera literaria para el profesor.
B2We wrote a funny commemorative poem for the teacher.
tail light
📝 In Action
Tengo que reparar la calavera derecha de mi coche.
B1I have to fix the right tail light of my car.
Ese camión tiene una calavera rota.
B1That truck has a broken tail light.
hellraiser
Also: rake
📝 In Action
Don Juan era un calavera y un seductor.
C1Don Juan was a hellraiser and a seducer.
De joven, mi abuelo era un calavera.
B2In his youth, my grandfather was a real party animal.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "calavera" in Spanish:
hellraiser→rake→satirical poem→skull→sugar skull→tail light→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: calavera
Question 1 of 3
If you are in a car repair shop in Mexico and ask for a 'calavera', what do you need?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'calvaria,' which means 'a bald head' or 'skull.' This is the same root that gives us 'Calvary' (the hill of the skull).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'calavera' offensive?
Not at all. In most contexts, it's either a neutral anatomical term or a joyful cultural symbol related to Day of the Dead.
What is the difference between 'cráneo' and 'calavera'?
'Cráneo' is the medical word for the skull bone inside your head. 'Calavera' usually refers to a skull that is no longer inside a body, like a symbol, a skeleton, or a decoration.
Can 'calavera' be used for women when meaning 'hellraiser'?
Historically, it was used for men ('un calavera'), but in modern informal Spanish, you might hear 'una calavera' to describe a woman with a similar wild lifestyle, though 'juerguista' is more common today.