espolón
/espoˈlon/
The English word 'dewclaw' is translated into Spanish as espolón.
The term espolón refers to a vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground.
Meaning: a vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /espoˈlon/.
Did you know?
- In the context of naval history, an espolón refers to the 'ram' of a ship, a protruding part used to strike enemy vessels.
- The word espolón is also used in civil engineering to describe a jetty or a breakwater designed to protect a harbor from waves.
- The word espolón is built from the word espuela, which means 'spur' in English. The suffix -ón acts as an augmentative, suggesting a 'large spur' or a prominent growth.
Examples in context
- El perro tiene un espolón en la pata trasera.The dog has a dewclaw on its hind leg.
- Ese espolón parece estar un poco largo.That dewclaw looks a little long.
- Debemos recortar el espolón de este gato.We must trim this cat's dewclaw.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are looking at a puppy.
- AlejandroMira, este cachorro tiene un espolón aquí.Look, this puppy has a dewclaw here.
- ElenaEs verdad, Elena no sabía que tenían eso.It's true, Elena didn't know they had those.
- AlejandroMuchos perros nacen con ese espolón.Many dogs are born with that dewclaw.
- ElenaEs un detalle muy curioso.It is a very curious detail.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry espolón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries espolón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
