Standard Lemma guide

banderilla

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • US: băn'-də-rēʹ-ə
  • US: /ˌbæn.dəˈɹiː.jə/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting to stick into the bulls' shoulders.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: bullfighting, entertainment, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a decorated dart that is implanted in the neck or shoulders of the bull during a bull fight

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dart

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish banderilla, from bandera (“banner”) + -illa (“diminutive suffix”).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: banderilla — decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting
  • French: banderille — decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting
  • Galician: banderilla — decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting
  • Polish: banderilla — decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting
  • Portuguese: bandarilha — decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting
  • Spanish: banderilla — decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting