matador
/mataˈdoɾ/masculine
The Spanish word for killer is matador. Wiktionary also lists matadora.
Meaning: murderer, person who kills (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| matador | /mataˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
| matadora | /mataˈdoɾa/ | feminine |
matador refers to a person who kills. matarife can also mean slaughterer or butcher. autor de homicidio is used to express the idea of a killer in a specific legal sense.
Which one should you use?
While matador can mean killer, asesino is the more common and precise term for a murderer in a criminal context.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of matador is matadores.
How do you pronounce it?
/mataˈdoɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, matador is used as a slang adjective to describe something that is 'killer' in the sense of being impressive or stunning.
- While matador means killer, the word matanza describes both a massacre and the traditional seasonal slaughter of pigs for curing meats.
- While matador means 'killer', it is most frequently used globally to refer to a bullfighter rather than a criminal. In a news report about a crime, using matador would sound highly unusual and potentially poetic or archaic.
Example sentences for Spanish are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are discussing a crime news report.
- Daniel¿Viste las noticias sobre el matador?Did you see the news about the killer?
- SofíaSí, dicen que es un hombre muy peligroso.Yes, they say he is a very dangerous man.
- DanielEspero que atrapen al matador pronto.I hope they catch the killer soon.
- SofíaYo también, es una situación terrible.I do too, it is a terrible situation.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “killer” translations and entries matador, matadora, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
