caramba

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish caramba, a euphemism for the real expletive carajo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kaˈɹam.ba]

Interjection

caramba

1. (non-vulgar) Exclamation of surprise or dismay.; golly!

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:wow, Thesaurus:dammit

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish caramba.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾɐ̃.bɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾɐ̃.bɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾɐ̃.ba/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈɾɐ̃.bɐ/

• Rhymes: -ɐ̃bɐ
• Hyphenation: ca‧ram‧ba

Interjection

caramba!

1. gee, gosh, shucks, blimey, darn (an expression of shock, surprise or anger)

Spanish

Etymology

Euphemism for carajo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaˈɾamba/ [kaˈɾãm.ba]
• Rhymes: -amba
• Syllabification: ca‧ram‧ba

Interjection

¡caramba!

1. (euphemistic) gee, gosh, shucks, blimey, darn (an expression of shock, surprise or anger)

Derived terms

• ay, caramba

 

Further reading

• “caramba”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28