Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| assassino de aluguel | /a.saˈsĩ.nu d͡ʒi a.luˈɡɛw/ (Brazil) | masculine |
| sicário | /siˈka.ɾju/ (Brazil) /siˈka.ɾju/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
A hitman is a contract killer. The informal term matador de aluguel can be used to mean 'hired killer'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase assassino de aluguel literally translates to 'assassin of hire' or 'assassin for rent'.
Which one should you use?
Sicário is a more formal or literary term for a hitman when compared to the more common assassino de aluguel.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the informal term pistoleiro is used to refer to a hitman as a 'gunman'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify a female hitman, change the masculine noun assassino to the feminine assassina to get assassina de aluguel. To form the plural, only the noun changes to assassinos. The phrase de aluguel remains unchanged, resulting in assassinos de aluguel.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /a.saˈsĩ.nu dʒi a.luˈɡɛw/. The word has 6 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The term assassino has a surprising connection to the historical legend of the 'Hashshashin', a group of Middle Eastern assassins thought to have used hashish to induce visions.
- The term matador can refer to a hitman in a criminal context, but in a completely different context, it is the title for the lead bullfighter in a bullfight.
- In Brazil, the word pistoleiro is often used to describe a hitman, reflecting a cultural history of gunmen in the rural 'cangaço' movements.
Examples in context
- Tom foi morto por um assassino de aluguel.Tom was killed by a hitman.This sentence is useful for showing how to use assassino de aluguel in a sentence.Tatoeba #9971981 by bill, translation #9969173 by ddnktr
- Você já ouviu falar dos matadores de aluguel no Brasil? Eles são temidos e conhecidos por sua eficiência.Have you ever heard of hired killers in Brazil? They are feared and known for their efficiency.
- Algumas áreas problemáticas do Rio de Janeiro são infestadas por pistoleiros que agem a mando de cartéis.Some problematic areas in Rio de Janeiro are infested with gunmen who act on the orders of cartels.
- O assassino de aluguel nunca deixa rastros.The hitman never leaves any tracks.
- Eles contrataram um assassino de aluguel para o crime.They hired a hitman for the crime.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo are discussing a crime novel.
- BeatrizQuem matou o personagem principal?Who killed the main character?
- RodrigoFoi um assassino de aluguel, Beatriz.It was a hitman, Beatriz.
- BeatrizEu não esperava por isso!I didn't expect that!
- RodrigoO livro tem muitas reviravoltas.The book has many twists.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hitman” translations and entries assassino de aluguel, sicário, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries assassino, assassino de aluguel, de, sicário, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
