Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| armadillo | /aɾmaˈdiʝo/ | Ecuador, Panama, masculine |
| cachicamo | /kat͡ʃikamo/ (from spelling rules) | Venezuela, masculine |
| carachupa | /kaɾaˈt͡ʃupa/ | Peru, feminine |
| cusuco | /kuˈsuko/ | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, masculine |
| gurre | /ɡure/ (from spelling rules) | Colombia, masculine |
| jerrejerre | /xerexere/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| mulita | /muˈlita/ | Argentina, Uruguay, feminine |
| pitero | /piteɾo/ (from spelling rules) | Honduras, masculine |
| quirquincho | /kiɾkint͡ʃo/ (from spelling rules) | Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Western, masculine |
| tatú | /taˈtu/ | Argentina, Bolivia, Eastern, Northeastern, Paraguay, Uruguay, masculine |
| toche | /ˈtot͡ʃe/ | Eastern, Mexico, masculine |
| tumulle | /tumuʝe/ (from spelling rules) | Ecuador, Southern, masculine |
| tatuejo | /tatwexo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| run | /run/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| timbo | /timbo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
All these terms refer to the armadillo, a burrowing mammal covered with bony, jointed protective plates.
Which one should you use?
While armadillo is a standard term, many regional variations exist. In the Andean regions of South America, quirquincho is commonly used instead of armadillo. In the Southern Cone, specifically Argentina and Uruguay, the feminine form mulita is a common way to refer to an armadillo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Spanish speakers use different names for the armadillo depending on their location: • armadillo is used in Ecuador and Panama. • cachicamo is used in Venezuela, Colombia and parts of Central America. • carachupa is a feminine form used in Peru. • cusuco is used in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. • gurre is used in Colombia. • jerrejerre is used. • mulita is a feminine form used in Argentina and Uruguay. • pitero is used in Honduras. • quirquincho is used in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. • tatú is a masculine form used in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and parts of eastern and northeastern areas. • toche is a masculine form used in eastern Mexico. • tumulle is a masculine form used in southern Ecuador. • tatuejo is used. • run is used. • timbo is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gender of the word varies by region. armadillo, cachicamo, cusuco, gurre, jerrejerre, pitero, quirquincho, tatú, toche, tumulle, tatuejo, run and timbo are masculine. Conversely, carachupa and mulita are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɾmaˈdiʝo/
Did you know?
- In Argentina and Uruguay, the term mulita is used, which is the diminutive of mula, the Spanish word for 'mule'.
- The word armadillo is one of the most prominent examples of a Spanish word that was adopted directly into English without any change in spelling.
- The word cachicamo is not of Spanish origin but is a loanword from the Tamanaku language.
Examples in context
- Ayer vi un cachicamo en el camino.Yesterday, I saw an armadillo on the road.
- Los tatús son criaturas fascinantes.Armadillos are fascinating creatures.
- Me encantaría ver una mulita en el campo.I would love to see an armadillo in the countryside.
- El armadillo se esconde en la tierra.The armadillo hides in the ground.
- Vimos un armadillo cerca del río.We saw an armadillo near the river.
- El armadillo tiene una armadura natural.The armadillo has a natural armor.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are walking through a nature reserve.
- Mateo¿Viste ese armadillo moviéndose en los arbustos?Did you see that armadillo moving in the bushes?
- LucíaSí, es muy pequeño y rápido.Yes, it is very small and fast.
- MateoEl armadillo es un animal muy curioso.The armadillo is a very curious animal.
- LucíaEs cierto, me encanta observarlo.It's true, I love watching it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “armadillo” translations and entries armadillo, cachicamo, carachupa, cusuco, jerrejerre, mulita, quirquincho, tatú, toche, run, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries armadillo, cachicamo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
