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tiburón

tee-boo-ROHN/tiβuˈɾon/

“tiburón” means “shark” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

shark

NounmA2
A simplified illustration of a large gray shark swimming in deep blue ocean water.

📝 In Action

Vimos un documental sobre el tiburón blanco en la televisión.

A2

We saw a documentary about the great white shark on television.

Los tiburones tienen varios dientes de repuesto.

B1

Sharks have several replacement teeth.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • escualo (shark (formal/literary))

Common Collocations

  • aleta de tiburón – shark fin
  • ataque de tiburón – shark attack

shark

Also: tycoon
NounmC1informal
A simplified illustration of a stern, well-dressed man in a sharp suit and tie, standing with a predatory, exaggerated smile, symbolizing a loan shark.

📝 In Action

Ese inversor es un tiburón de las finanzas; no tiene piedad de nadie.

C1

That investor is a finance shark; he has no mercy for anyone.

Hay que tener cuidado con esos tiburones inmobiliarios que solo buscan especular.

C1

You have to be careful with those real estate sharks who only look to speculate.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • tiburón de los negocios – business shark/mogul

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tiburón

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'tiburón' in its figurative, non-animal meaning?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tiburoncito(little shark (diminutive)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
balóncanción
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'tiburón' is believed to have originated from indigenous Caribbean languages, specifically from the Taino or Cariban groups, and was adopted by Spanish sailors and explorers in the 16th century, replacing older Spanish terms for large marine predators.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: tubarão

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Existe la palabra 'tiburona'?

Sí, aunque 'el tiburón' es el término estándar para referirse a la especie sin importar su sexo, en el lenguaje muy informal o regional, a veces se usa 'tiburona' para referirse a una mujer muy agresiva en los negocios o una hembra de la especie.

¿Es 'tiburón' un sustantivo masculino o femenino?

Es un sustantivo masculino ('el tiburón'), sin excepción, incluso cuando hablamos de una hembra de la especie.