bisonte americano
/biˌsonte ameɾiˈkano/masculine
The English word 'bison' can be translated into Spanish as bisonte americano or cíbolo americano.
Meaning: American bison, Bison bison (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bisonte americano | /biˌsonte ameɾiˈkano/ | masculine |
| cíbolo americano | /θibolo ameɾikano/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sibolo ameɾikano/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
Both terms are used to refer to the American bison (Bison bison).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, especially in Latin America, bison is occasionally referred to as Búfalo de Norteamérica.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both bisonte americano and cíbolo americano are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/biˌsonte ameɾˈkano/
Did you know?
- The term cíbolo is derived from Cíbola, the name of a legendary seven cities of gold sought by Spanish explorers in the 16th century.
- If you call a bison búfalo in Latin America, you are technically using a common misnomer, as true buffalo and bison are different species.
- The word americano in Spanish is used to describe things from the Americas, whereas in English, it often refers specifically to the United States.
Examples in context
- Durante nuestro viaje al Parque Nacional de Yellowstone, pudimos observar a varios bisontes en su hábitat natural.During our trip to Yellowstone National Park, we were able to observe several bison in their natural habitat.
- El Smithsonian tiene una exhibición sobre la historia del bisonte en América del Norte.The Smithsonian has an exhibition about the history of the bison in North America.
- El bisonte americano vive en las llanuras.The American bison lives on the plains.
- Vimos un bisonte americano en el parque.We saw an American bison in the park.
- Ese bisonte americano es muy grande.That American bison is very large.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are looking at a wildlife documentary on TV.
- María¿Es ese un bisonte americano?Is that an American bison?
- DanielSí, el bisonte americano es impresionante.Yes, the American bison is impressive.
- MaríaDaniel, mira qué fuerte es.Daniel, look how strong he is.
- DanielEs verdad, es un animal magnífico.It's true, it's a magnificent animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bison” translations and entries bisonte americano, 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 americano, bisonte, cíbolo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
