callo malayo

Spanish

FWOTD – 29 December 2015

Etymology

Literally, “Malay callus”. Used for the rhyme.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˌkaʝo maˈlaʝo/ [ˌka.ʝo maˈla.ʝo] (Equatorial Guinea, most of Spain and Latin America)
IPA^(key): /ˌkaʎo maˈlaʝo/ [ˌka.ʎo maˈla.ʝo] (rural northern Spain, Andes Mountains, Paraguay, Philippines)
IPA^(key): /ˌkaʃo maˈlaʃo/ [ˌka.ʃo maˈla.ʃo] (Buenos Aires and environs)
IPA^(key): /ˌkaʒo maˈlaʒo/ [ˌka.ʒo maˈla.ʒo] (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay)

Syllabification: ca‧llo ma‧la‧yo

Noun

callo malayo m (plural callos malayos)

(idiomatic) an uggo, an ugly person
- 2005, Ramón de España, Querida Letizia: cartas a una princesa embarazada, page 49:
  ¡No queremos que la reina de España sea un callo malayo!
  We don't want the queen of Spain to be an uggo!