salamanquesa
/salamanˈkesa/feminine
The Spanish word for gecko is salamanquesa. Wiktionary also lists geco.
Meaning: lizard of the family Gekkonidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salamanquesa | /salamanˈkesa/ | feminine |
| geco | /ˈxeko/ /ˈɡeko/ |
masculine |
The term refers to a lizard belonging to the Gekkonidae family.
Which one should you use?
salamanquesa is a feminine noun, while geco is the masculine form.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Canary Islands, the term Jaragüito is used to describe a gecko.
How do you pronounce it?
/salamanˈkesa/
Did you know?
- The word salamanquesa shares a strange history with the word for 'salamander', as it was reshaped by people associating the city of Salamanca with dark magic.
- In various Spanish cultures, seeing a salamanquesa in the house is often considered a sign of good luck or a protector of the home.
- The word salamanquesa is a linguistic rarity where a demonym, or a word for a person from a place, was used to name an animal.
Examples in context
- Encontré un lagarto en el jardín, específicamente un gecko.I found a lizard in the garden, specifically a gecko.
- ¡Mira ese geco en la pared!Look at that gecko on the wall!
- Ay, ayer encontré una lagartija en mi habitación.Oh, yesterday I found a gecko in my room.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are looking at a wall in their house.
- SofíaAlejandro, mira esa salamanquesa.Alejandro, look at that gecko.
- Alejandro¿Dónde está?Where is it?
- SofíaEstá justo ahí, junto a la luz.It's right there, next to the light.
- AlejandroEs verdad, es muy rápida.It's true, it is very fast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gecko” translations and entries salamanquesa, geco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries geco, salamanquesa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
