espalda

From metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla, from Late Latin spatula (“broad, flat piece”), from classical Latin spatha.

espalda f (plural espaldes)

1. back

• espada

From Old Spanish espalda, from metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla, from Late Latin spatula (“broad, flat piece”), from classical Latin spatha.

espalda f (Latin spelling, plural espaldas)

1. (anatomy) back

From metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla(m), from Late Latin spatulam, accusative of spatula (“broad, flat piece”), from classical Latin spatha.

• IPA^(key): /esˈpalda/

espalda f (plural espaldas)

1. (anatomy) back
   • c. 1250, Alfonso X, Lapidario, f. 106r:

     […] la uertud de figura de mugier con alas que eſte leuantada en pie. ⁊ con los cabellos luengos echados atras. ⁊ eſparzidos ſobre las eſpaldas.

     […] the virtue of the figure of the winged woman who is standing on one foot, her hair long and drawn back, and spread over her back.

• espada

• Ladino: espalda (Latin spelling)
• Spanish: espalda

Sense 1

Inherited from Old Spanish espalda, from metathesis of Vulgar Latin *spatla, from Latin spatula (“broad, flat piece”) (compare Catalan espatlla (“shoulder”), French épaule (“shoulder”), Portuguese espádua (“scapula, shoulder”)), diminutive of Latin spatha (“straight sword”).

• IPA^(key): /esˈpalda/ [esˈpal̪.d̪a]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alda
• Syllabification: es‧pal‧da

espalda f (plural espaldas)

1. (anatomy) back

   Synonym: espaldar

2. (swimming) backstroke

   Synonym: dorso

• “espalda”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28