melena
/meˈlena/feminine
The Spanish word for mane is melena. If unsure, use melena. Wiktionary also lists guedeja.
Meaning: longer hair growth around head of male lions (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| melena | /meˈlena/ | feminine |
| guedeja | /ɡeˈdexa/ | feminine |
The term refers to the long hair growth around the head of male lions. It is also used metaphorically to describe a person's thick, voluminous or unruly hair.
Which one should you use?
melena is the standard, most common word for a mane, whether you are referring to animals or thick hair on a person. guedeja is a more literary or poetic term for a thick mass of hair and is typically found in literature rather than everyday conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of melena is melenas. Both forms provided, melena and guedeja, are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/meˈlena/
Did you know?
- The word melena is a linguistic double agent, having roots in both Ancient Greek and Arabic.
Examples in context
- Su cabello largo y despeinado era similar a la melena de un león.His long and untidy hair was similar to a lion's mane.This sentence compares a person's hair to the melena of a lion.Tatoeba #1310424 by hayastan, translation #4155684 by mervert1
- Las leonas no tienen melena.Lionesses have no mane.This sentence explains that lionesses do not have a melena.Tatoeba #6115992 by Adelpa, translation #6122939 by carlosalberto
- Los caballos tienen una melena y una cola larga y peluda.Horses have a mane and a thick, long tail.This sentence describes the melena and tail of horses.Tatoeba #6115911 by Adelpa, translation #6122981 by carlosalberto
- Es admirable cómo cuida su cabellera con productos naturales.It's admirable how she takes care of her mane with natural products.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are watching a nature documentary together.
- LucíaEse león tiene una melena muy oscura.That lion has a very dark mane.
- JavierEs impresionante lo grande que es su melena.It is impressive how big his mane is.
- LucíaParece un rey con esa melena.He looks like a king with that mane.
- JavierSí, se ve muy majestuoso.Yes, he looks very majestic.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mane” translations and entries melena, guedeja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guedeja, melena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
