sótano

Spanish

Etymology

From alteration of Old Spanish sótalo, from Vulgar Latin *subtulum, from Latin subtus.^[1] Compare Portuguese sótão (“attic”). Less likely from a Vulgar Latin *subtanus (whence Italian sottano), itself also a derivative of subtus (“below”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsotano/ [ˈso.t̪a.no]
• Rhymes: -otano
• Syllabification: só‧ta‧no

Noun

sótano m (plural sótanos)

1. cellar

   Synonyms: bodega, cueva

2. basement
3. (chiefly Northern Mexico) pit

   Synonym: sima

References

1. Joan Coromines, José A[ntonio] Pascual (1983–1991) Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critic Castilian and Hispanic Etymological Dictionary] (in Spanish), Gredos

Further reading

• “sótano”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014