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gemelo

heh-MEH-loh/xeˈmelo/

identical twin

Also: twin
NounmA2
Two identical young boys with the same hair and clothes standing side by side smiling.

📝 In Action

Mi hermano es mi gemelo idéntico.

A1

My brother is my identical twin.

Las torres gemelas eran los edificios más altos.

B1

The twin towers were the tallest buildings.

Ella tiene una hermana gemela que vive en Madrid.

A2

She has a twin sister who lives in Madrid.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • clon (clone/identical match)

Antonyms

  • único (only child/unique)

Common Collocations

  • hermanos gemelos – twin brothers
  • almas gemelas – soulmates

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser como dos gotas de agua – to be exactly alike

calf muscle

Also: gastrocnemius
NounmB1
A close up of a person's lower leg from behind showing a defined calf muscle.

📝 In Action

Me dio un calambre en el gemelo mientras corría.

B1

I got a cramp in my calf while running.

Tienes los gemelos muy fuertes de tanto caminar.

B2

You have very strong calves from walking so much.

El futbolista se lesionó el gemelo derecho.

B1

The soccer player injured his right calf.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pantorrilla (calf (the area of the leg))

Common Collocations

  • tirón en el gemelo – pulled calf muscle
  • ejercicios de gemelos – calf exercises

cufflink

Also: binoculars
NounmB2
Mexico
A pair of shiny silver decorative cufflinks resting on a flat surface.

📝 In Action

El novio llevaba unos gemelos de oro.

B2

The groom was wearing gold cufflinks.

Perdí un gemelo en la fiesta y ahora no puedo cerrar la camisa.

B2

I lost a cufflink at the party and now I can't fasten my shirt.

Saca los gemelos para ver mejor el escenario.

B1

Take out the binoculars to see the stage better.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mancuernillas (cufflinks (Mexico))
  • prismáticos (binoculars)

Common Collocations

  • un par de gemelos – a pair of cufflinks
  • gemelos de plata – silver cufflinks

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: gemelo

Question 1 of 3

If you are looking for two siblings who look exactly the same, you are looking for...

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
gemelar(related to twins) — Adjective
mellizo(fraternal twin) — Noun
trigémino(triplet) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'gemellus', which is a cute/small version of 'geminus', meaning 'double' or 'born at the same time'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: GeminiFrench: jumeauItalian: gemello

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'gemelo' and 'mellizo' the same thing?

No. 'Gemelos' are identical twins (one egg), while 'mellizos' are fraternal twins (two eggs).

Why is the calf muscle called a 'twin'?

Because the main calf muscle has two parts (heads) that are symmetrical and look like a pair of twins.

Can 'gemelo' be an adjective?

Yes! You can say 'camas gemelas' to mean 'twin beds' (two identical beds).