eliminatoria
“eliminatoria” means “qualifying round” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
qualifying round, play-offAlso: heat, knockout match
📝 In Action
España ganó la eliminatoria contra Italia.
A2Spain won the qualifying round against Italy.
Estamos en la fase de eliminatorias para el Mundial.
B1We are in the qualifying phase for the World Cup.
Fue una eliminatoria muy reñida que se decidió en el último minuto.
B2It was a very close play-off that was decided in the last minute.
Word Connections
eliminating, qualifying
📝 In Action
La primera prueba del examen es eliminatoria.
B2The first part of the exam is an eliminating one (you must pass to continue).
Corrieron una vuelta eliminatoria.
B2They ran a qualifying lap.
Word Connections
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "eliminatoria" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: eliminatoria
Question 1 of 3
If a soccer team is playing 'la eliminatoria', what are they doing?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
From the Latin word 'eliminare', which literally meant 'to put out of the threshold' or 'to kick out of the house'.
First recorded: 19th century (in a sports/competition context)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'eliminatoria' used only for sports?
Mostly, but it is also used for any competition with rounds, like math Olympics, talent shows, or even stages in high-stakes job applications (exams).
Does it mean the same as 'play-off'?
Yes, in many contexts they are identical. However, 'eliminatoria' specifically emphasizes that someone is being eliminated from the tournament.
How do you say 'World Cup Qualifiers'?
In Spanish, we simply say 'Las eliminatorias para el Mundial' or just 'Las eliminatorias'.