peineta
/peiˈneta/feminine
The middle finger in Spanish is referred to as peineta. Wiktionary also lists corte de manga.
Meaning: obscene gesture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| peineta | /peiˈneta/ | feminine |
| corte de manga | /koɾte de manɡa/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term is used to describe the obscene gesture. If you want to say you are performing the gesture, you can use the phrase hacer la peineta, which means to give the middle finger.
What does it mean word for word?
The word peineta literally means hair comb, referring to the shape of the hand gesture.
Which one should you use?
peineta is a feminine noun, while corte de manga is a masculine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase enseñar el dedo corazón is used to indicate the offensive gesture and means showing the middle finger.
How do you pronounce it?
/peiˈneta/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the middle finger is called dedo corazón, which translates to 'heart finger'.
- While peineta refers to the gesture, a real peineta is a traditional Spanish ornamental comb used to hold the hair in place, often paired with a lace mantilla veil.
- The phrase corte de manga translates literally to 'cut of sleeve', which describes the visual of the finger appearing to extend from the edge of a shirt sleeve.
Examples in context
- Me hizo una peineta el conductor.The driver gave me the middle finger.
- No le hagas una peineta a tu hermano.Don't give your brother the middle finger.
- Él solo respondió con una peineta.He only responded with the middle finger.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are talking about a road rage incident.
- LucíaEl conductor de al lado estaba muy enfadado.The driver next to me was very angry.
- Alejandro¿Hizo algo más?Did he do anything else?
- LucíaSí, me sacó una peineta y gritó.Yes, he gave me the middle finger and shouted.
- AlejandroQué mala educación tiene ese hombre.That man has such bad manners.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “middle finger” translations and entries peineta, corte de manga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
