muñeca
“muñeca” means “wrist” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
wrist
📝 In Action
Me torcí la muñeca jugando al tenis.
A1I twisted my wrist playing tennis.
Lleva un reloj muy bonito en su muñeca izquierda.
A2She wears a very nice watch on her left wrist.
doll
Also: action figure
📝 In Action
La niña pidió una muñeca de trapo para Navidad.
A1The girl asked for a rag doll for Christmas.
Colecciona muñecas antiguas de porcelana.
B1She collects antique porcelain dolls.
babe
Also: toughness
📝 In Action
¡Mira qué muñeca! Es la chica más guapa de la fiesta.
B2Look at that babe! She's the prettiest girl at the party.
Para ser un buen negociador se necesita mucha muñeca.
C1To be a good negotiator, you need a lot of skill/guts.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: muñeca
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'muñeca' to mean a toy?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the older Spanish word 'moño' (meaning 'knot' or 'bun of hair'), which was also used to describe a small, round object or figure. It evolved into 'muñeca' to mean a small figure (doll), and later the body part connecting the hand and arm, likely due to its small, rounded structure.
First recorded: 15th century
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can one word mean both 'wrist' and 'doll'?
This happens often in language! Historically, 'muñeca' was a diminutive (a word for something small) related to a small, rounded figure. This word was applied to the toy (the doll) and also to the wrist, which is the small, flexible, and rounded joint that connects your hand to your arm.