tío - Wiktionary, the free dictionary


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From Old Galician-Portuguese tio, from Late Latin thīum, from Ancient Greek θεῖος (theîos). Compare Portuguese tio.

tío m (plural tíos, feminine tía, feminine plural tías)

  1. uncle
    Synonym: titío

    O meu tío é o irmán da miña nai ou do meu pai.

    My uncle is my mother’s or father’s brother.
  2. (colloquial) unknown male person, dude, guy

    E ese tío gritoume.

    And that guy yelled at me.
  3. mister (title conferred on an adult male)
    Synonym: señor
  • (antonym(s) of “with regard to gender”): tía
  • (antonym(s) of “with regard to ancestry”): sobriño, sobriña

Inherited from Old Spanish tio, from Late Latin thius, from Ancient Greek θεῖος (theîos). Compare Italian zio, Galician tío and Portuguese tio, Sardinian tiu.

  • IPA(key): /ˈtio/ [ˈt̪i.o]
  • Rhymes: -io
  • Syllabification: tí‧o

tío m (plural tíos, feminine tía, feminine plural tías)

  1. uncle (the brother, brother-in-law, or male cousin or cousin-in-law of either parent)
    Coordinate terms: sobrino, sobrina

    Mi tío es el hermano o primo de mi madre o de mi padre.

    My uncle is my mother’s or father’s brother or male cousin.
  2. (colloquial, Spain) unknown or any male person, dude, guy
    Synonyms: tipo, (Chile) gallo; see also Thesaurus:tío
    Y ese tío me gritó. ― And that guy yelled at me.
  3. (colloquial, Spain) friend, mate, pal, man, bro
    Synonym: (Mexico) cuate

    Tío, ¿me puedes ayudar por un momento?

    Can you help me for a moment, mate?
  4. mister (title conferred on an adult male)
    Synonym: señor
  • → Catalan: tio