Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| delineador | /delineaˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
| lápiz de/para ojos/párpados | masculine | |
| abéñula | /aˈbeɲula/ | feminine |
The term delineador is used to refer to eyeliner. To be more specific and avoid confusion with general drawing or drafting tools, speakers often say delineador de ojos, which means 'eyeliner of eyes'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word delineador is derived from the verb delinear, which means 'to outline' or 'to delineate'.
Which one should you use?
While delineador can refer to any kind of eyeliner, including liquid versions, lápiz de ojos or lápiz de/para ojos/párpados refers specifically to an eyeliner pencil. Additionally, abéñula is a feminine term used for this makeup.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the specific phrase delineador líquido is used to refer to liquid eyeliners.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun delineador is masculine and is used with the masculine article el.
How do you pronounce it?
/delineaˈdoɾ/
Did you know?
- The word lápiz is a linguistic doublet of lápida, which means 'tombstone' in Spanish.
- The word abéñula is a delightful linguistic relic, as it traces its history back to the Latin word for a 'small wing' or 'feather'.
- While English uses 'liner' for both eyes and lips, Spanish often distinguishes these using more specific terms like delineador de ojos and delineador de labios to avoid ambiguity.
Examples in context
- El pincel delineador se usa para hacer líneas finas.The eyeliner pencil is used to make fine lines.This sentence shows how delineador is used when referring to an eyeliner pencil.Tatoeba #4391325 by umano, translation #4409489 by LB
- Me encanta cómo se ve el delineador de ojos negroI love how black eyeliner looks
- Necesito comprar un delineador nuevo.I need to buy a new eyeliner.
- El delineador negro se ve muy bien.The black eyeliner looks very good.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are getting ready for a party.
- JavierElena, ¿tienes un delineador que me prestes?Elena, do you have an eyeliner I can borrow?
- ElenaSí, Javier, está en mi bolso.Yes, Javier, it is in my bag.
- JavierMuchas gracias por el delineador.Thank you very much for the eyeliner.
- ElenaDe nada, ¡te ves muy bien!You're welcome, you look great!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eyeliner” translations and entries delineador, abéñula, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abéñula, delineador, lápiz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
