chispa

Galician

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃispa/ [ˈt͡ʃis̺.pɐ]
• Rhymes: -ispa
• Hyphenation: chis‧pa

Noun

chispa m (plural chispas)

1. spark

   Synonyms: faísca, moxena, muxica

2. lightning spark

   Synonyms: apago, lóstrego, raio

3. (figurative) brat

   Synonym: fedello

Derived terms

• cagar chispas
• chispear
• mala chispa

References

• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “chispa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “chispa”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “chispa”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Occitan

Noun

chispa f (plural chispas)

1. (vulgar) bitch, harpy

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃis.pɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃis.pɐ/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈʃiʃ.pɐ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃiʃ.pɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃiʃ.pɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃiʃ.pɐ/

• Rhymes: -ispɐ, -iʃpɐ
• Hyphenation: chis‧pa

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic or else borrowed from Spanish.

Noun

chispa f (plural chispas)

1. spark (small particle of glowing matter)

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:faísca

2. a sudden and brief glow

   Synonyms: cintilação, corisco, lampejo

3. (figurative) a brief manifestation of emotion

Derived terms

• chispinha (diminutive), chispazinha (diminutive)
• soltar chispas

Interjection

chispa!

1. go away!

Usage notes

• Normally said to a dog, but can be said to a person, if one wants to demean them.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

chispa

1. inflection of chispar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “chispa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “chispa”, in Dicionário inFormal (in Portuguese), 2006–2026
• “chispa” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
• “chispa”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “chispa”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN
• “chispa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃispa/ [ˈt͡ʃis.pa]
• Rhymes: -ispa
• Syllabification: chis‧pa

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic. Compare with Galician and Portuguese chispa.

Noun

chispa f (plural chispas)

1. spark (small particle of glowing matter)

   Synonyms: centella, chiribita, pavesa

2. spark (small burst of electrical discharge)

   Synonym: centella

3. chip

   Hay galletas con chispas de chocolate en el mostrador.

   There are chocolate chip cookies on the counter.

4. sprinkle
5. (colloquial) drunkenness, intoxication (state of being intoxicated with alcohol)

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:borrachera

Derived terms

• achispar
• chispa de chocolate
• chispazo
• chispear
• chispo
• chisporrotear
• encendérsele la chispa
• llave de chispa
• piedra de chispa
• prendérsele la chispa, prenderse la chispa
• tener chispa

Adjective

chispa (invariable) (colloquial)

1. (Mexico, Colombia) funny
2. (El Salvador) smart; intelligent

Adjective

chispa

1. feminine singular of chispo

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

chispa

1. only used in se chispa, third-person singular present indicative of chisparse
2. only used in te ... chispa, syntactic variant of chíspate, second-person singular imperative of chisparse

Further reading

• “chispa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026
• “chispa”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010
• “ser”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010