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Glite Dictionary
volador

volador

9.9
A person who spins down a tall pole in a traditional Mexican ceremony
  • noun
  • Literature
: volador
  • Every year, tourists gather to watch the volador ceremony, where performers spin and glide elegantly from a towering height.

Examples

  • During the festival, the volador performed his aerial dance, captivating the audience with his graceful moves.

  • Holes in the small altars that topped each pyramid held poles for volador ceremonies, from the Spanish word for "flyer."

    Academic text (2006)

  • The dancers, known as voladores, descend from the tall pole in a spectacular display that honors their heritage.

Surface Forms

volador singular
voladores plural

Etymology

The word volador comes from the Spanish verb volar 'to fly' and the ending -dor 'one who'. It names the performers in a Mexican ceremony called the 'Danza de los Voladores', so a volador is literally 'one who flies' as they spin down from a tall pole.