Augmentative Suffixes - azo

Question

Well I learnt something very interesting today, thanks to Maestro JC - did you know that the augmentative suffix -azo indicates a blow or a strike?

Suffixes

-Azo to indicate a blow or strike: The suffix -azo can be applied somewhat freely to nouns to indicate a blow or strike; coined words using this suffix are sometimes found in journalese. Words formed in this way are always masculine.

Examples: hachazo (blow or chop with an ax), martillazo (blow with a hammer), puñetazo (punch with a fist), cabezazo (head butt), codazo (jab with the elbow), plumazo (the stroke of a pen), huevazo (a blow from a thrown egg), misilazo (missile strike), sartenazo (a blow from a frying pan)

So what is meant by 'abrazo'?

• Maybe it came from the manly slap on the back type pseudo-hug :-) - afowen Dec 24, 2010
• That would be a palmada. - BellaMargari Dec 24, 2010
• I think I just had one of those for lunch :-) - afowen Dec 24, 2010
• lol :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010
• @ Margaret, that could work, gracias :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010

Answer 1

"Abrazo" does not use the suffix -azo. It is the noun from the verb "abrazar", from "brazo". It is like

cantar -> un canto

abrazar -> un abrazo

While it can be used sometimes as an augmentative suffix (used with good or bad intentions), it is also used as a pejorative one, and both as augmentative and pejorative at the same time, often depending on the context and the intention of the speaker, as in "perrazo", which can be a huge dog, if you are commenting on the size, a dog you despise, if you are making bad comments about it, or both.

"Manaza" and "bocaza" are examples of pejorative references to parts of the body. Interestingly, this suffix it is very often used for big or great things in a positive way, as in "partidazo", "cuerpazo", "besazo" or "madraza".

It is also a very productive suffix for hits, strikes and sudden collisions or energetic encounters. The number of words in this group is quite large, and you can easily create your own words: arañazo, balazo, bastonazo, botellazo, cantazo, culatazo, escobazo, espaldarazo, estacazo, lametazo, martillazo, palazo, pelotazo, portazo, porrazo, puñetazo,... A thread on creating words like this could be quite funny and creative. An example: "Le dio un jamonazo al vehículo".

• great idea Lazarus - I'll start it if you moderate it lol :) wouldn't be the first time je je - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010
• love the word and the picture btw :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010
• If people create new "-azo" strikes, it is something likely to be funny rather than being moderated, but I'll be happy to. - lazarus1907 Dec 24, 2010
• yr a treasure, gracias :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010

Answer 2

You might want to review this short article on -azo suffix.

This suffix is used in three ways:

1.Forming augmentatives; words expressing greatness or size

2.Forming pejoratives; words emphasizing contempt for a subject

3.Forming words expressing a hit or strike

The second category is interesting enough, but I don't want to quote examples here

• thanx Pesta :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010

Answer 3

cacerolazo - Banging on pots and pans as a form of protest. (Thanks KevinB)

• awesome one! lol :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 25, 2010

Answer 4

Interesting!

How about "pedazo," which means a piece of something. I wonder how that relates.

• hmmm, good question, Julian? lol :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010
• A piece broken off could be the result of the stroke of a foot. - Sabor Dec 24, 2010
• "Pedazo" probably originated from "Pieza." Now if you want to create a play on words, "Pedazo" works well, but I´ll let your imagination figure this out - JulianChivi Dec 24, 2010

Answer 5

From your list of examples I will choose plumazo (the stroke of a pen).Thus abrazo must be the stroke of an arm.

• Nice :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010
• But "brazo" IS an arm. The stroke of an arm must then be "brazoazo"... :) - pesta Dec 24, 2010
• Language sometimes contracts or reduces sound repetitions. - Sabor Dec 24, 2010

Answer 6

I choose portazo - slam of a door.

• I like it! - --Mariana-- Dec 24, 2010

Answer 7

I found this great one:

flechazo - arrow shot / arrow wound, or figuratively "love at first sight"

Example: le ha dado el flechazo = he's smitten

• qué bueno! :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 24, 2010

Answer 8

It could have that meaning orginally, but has come to simply a hug or embrace.

Answer 9

madraza - It's not quite the azo suffix, being naturally feminine, but it seems to fit this thread:

madraza

feminine noun

1.= indulgent or doting mother

augmentative

2.= A very fond mother. (f)

Answer 10

Puerto Ricans have a number of very colorful expressions that are not found anywhere else in the Spanish-speaking world, as far as I know.

They use "guayazo" for example, to mean a scratch. In other places this might be called "un rayón. "

A man that was doing some work in our house let us know that he had received an electrical shock by telling us that: "el cable me dió un cantazo".

In other places, en electrical shock would be "un corrientazo."

Answer 11

Pelo - hair : Pelazo - great luscious hair

Answer 12

Well it looks like Diego Torres agrees with Margaret, so palmada is winning so far La Flor Más Bella "Y una palmada se oyó el canto de una sirena"

Answer 13

Bueno, me gusta mucho la lengua coloquial, entonces voy a poner este ejemplo: "Qué coñazo de este libro."

"What a boring book".

Creo que el origen de esta palabra es fácil de adivinar, ¿no?