celíaco
/θeˈliako/
The Spanish word for coeliac is celíaco.
celíaco is used to describe a person with a medical condition that makes them unable to digest gluten.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term enfermedad celíaca is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes its ending based on gender and number: use celíaca when referring to a female person, celíacos for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and celíacas for a group consisting only of women.
How do you pronounce it?
/θeˈliako/
What mistakes should you avoid?
You can also use the phrase intolerante al gluten to describe someone with coeliac disease.
Did you know?
- The term sin TACC is frequently used in Argentina and Uruguay instead of celíaco or sin gluten, where 'TACC' stands for wheat, oats, barley and rye.
- In Spain, you will often see a crossed-grain symbol on food packaging, which accompanies the word sin gluten to help celíacos identify safe products quickly.
- The word celíaco comes from the Ancient Greek word koilĭăkós, which literally means 'relating to the belly'.
Examples in context
- El paciente ha sido diagnosticado como celíaco.The patient has been diagnosed as coeliac.
- La dieta sin gluten es esencial para las personas celíacas.A gluten-free diet is essential for coeliac individuals.
- Él es celíaco y no come trigo.He is coeliac and does not eat wheat.
- ¿Sabes si el chef es celíaco?Do you know if the chef is coeliac?
- Mi hermano es celíaco desde hace años.My brother has been coeliac for years.
Example conversation
A conversation at a restaurant while looking at the menu.
- Sofía¿Hay opciones para alguien celíaco?Are there options for someone who is coeliac?
- JavierSí, el menú tiene platos sin gluten.Yes, the menu has gluten-free dishes.
- SofíaPerfecto, mi hermano es celíaco.Perfect, my brother is coeliac.
- JavierNo hay problema, Sofía.No problem, Sofía.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry celíaco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries celíaco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
