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"bat (animal)" in seven languages

Meaningbat (animal)

Spanish

murciélago

/muɾˈθjelago/

masc.other source · Old Spanish murciégalo, from mur 'mouse' (MŪREM) + ciego 'blind' (CAECUM)

French

chauve-souris

/ʃovsuʁi/

fem.other source · Late Latin *CALVA SORICEM 'bald mouse', perhaps reshaping a Gaulish word

plural: chauves-souris

Italian

pipistrello

/pipiˈstrɛllo/

masc.other source · Latin VESPERTĪLIŌNEM 'bat' (VESPER 'evening'), via vipistrello

Portuguese

morcego

/mohˈseɡu/

masc.other source · Latin MŪREM 'mouse' + CAECUM 'blind'

Romanian

liliac

/liliˈak/

masc.other source · of uncertain origin

Catalan

ratpenat

/ratpəˈnat/

masc.other source · rat 'mouse' + penat 'winged' (Latin PENNĀTUM)

English

bat

/bæt/

other source · Middle English bakke, of Scandinavian origin

English → Italianbat (animal)pipistrelloNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share

The story

Each language invented its own bat: Spanish a 'blind mouse', French a 'bald mouse', while Italian kept Latin's 'evening creature', worn almost beyond recognition.

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In a sentence

  • esLos murciélagos duermen de día.
  • frLes chauves-souris dorment le jour.
  • itI pipistrelli dormono di giorno.
  • ptOs morcegos dormem durante o dia.
  • roLiliecii dorm ziua.
  • caEls ratpenats dormen de dia.
  • enBats sleep during the day.

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