cuadrilla
1
9.9
A team of assistants who help a matador during a bullfight
- noun
- /kwɑːˈdrɪjə/
- Jargon
:
cuadrilla
- The cuadrilla worked together seamlessly, each member knowing their role during the bullfight.
Examples
-
The uncle had gone out to see the men of the cuadrilla at the café.
Fiction book (1990) -
The matador relied heavily on his cuadrilla to ensure everything went smoothly in the arena.
-
Before the event, the cuadrilla gathered to discuss their strategy and how to support the matador.
Surface Forms
cuadrilla singular
cuadrillas plural
Etymology
Cuadrilla comes from Spanish parts cuadr-, which means 'square', and -illa, which means 'small', so it once meant a 'small square' of people. That idea of a small, organised group explains why cuadrilla is also the name for the team that supports a matador in the bullring.