Caribe

/kəˈriːbeɪ/ noun

Definition

A Spanish term for a piranha or other aggressive carnivorous fish found in South American waters.

Etymology

From Spanish 'caribe,' derived from Carib, the indigenous people's language. The term was applied to the fierce fish, possibly because they were as fearsome as the Carib warriors.

Kelly Says

The word 'caribe' traveled through Spanish from indigenous South American languages, and it shows how languages share words for animals when one group teaches another group about local wildlife!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.