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Glite Dictionary
candiru

candiru

1 9.9
A small parasitic catfish from the Amazon River that can enter body openings of people and animals
  • noun
  • /kænˈdɪru/
  • NSFW
: candiru
  • Scientists have documented cases of the candiru fish entering the body of unsuspecting swimmers in the Amazon.
  • candiru catfish

Examples

  • "In the Amazon," Renato said, "there is a tiny catfish called a candiru that will swim right into a man's penis and lodge itself there by erecting sharp spines."

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Did I tell you about the candiru?

    Fiction book (1998)

  • - ...is the candiru acu.

    Anaconda (1997)

  • A candiru, a vicious parasite, will swim up the urine into your pau.

    The Rundown (2003)

  • Candiru acu.

    Anaconda (1997)

  • The candiru is a small fish known to enter the body orifices of animals in the Amazon River.

  • A candiru swam up the urethra of a man, causing severe discomfort and a need for medical attention.

Surface Forms

candiru singular
candirus plural

Etymology

Candiru comes from Portuguese and before that from a Tupi Amazon word kandirú, the local name for this tiny river fish. So candiru today means the small parasitic catfish from the Amazon that people feared for entering body openings.