monacillo

[ mon-uh-see-oh; Spanish maw-nah-see-yaw ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural mo·na·cil·los [mon-, uh, -, see, -ohz, maw-nah-, see, -yaws].

a low shrub, Malvaviscus arboreus, of tropical America, having scarlet flowers and berrylike fruit that is sticky when young.

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Word History and Origins

From Latin American Spanish (Mexico), Spanish: literally, “altar boy,” earlier monazillo, monaziello, from Vulgar Latin monachellus (unattested), equivalent to Late Latin monach(us) monk + -ellus diminutive suffix; -elle

monacid Monaco

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