| A |
abanico |
- |
"fan", two-handed
cape maneuver, usually to bring bull
to picador |
| |
abono |
- |
season ticket for full season or series
of bullfights in a feria |
| |
acero |
- |
"steel", another word for
the matador's sword |
| |
acometida |
- |
swift charge of bull, rapid and violent
movement |
| |
acoso |
- |
spilling young bulls in countryside
with blunt lance |
| |
adorno |
- |
a pose, such as touching bulls horns
after series of passes |
| |
afarolado |
- |
pass where the muleta is passed over
man's head as bull charges by |
| |
afeitar |
- |
"to shave", to illegally
shorten bull's horns |
| |
aficion |
- |
the love of bullfighting, aficionados
as a group |
| |
aficionado |
- |
fan of bullfighting |
| |
aficionado practico |
- |
a fan who also practices as an amateur
torero |
| |
aguantar |
- |
to remain motionless before unexpected
attack of the bull |
| |
ajustarse |
- |
to fight the bull very close |
| |
alarde |
- |
showing off, turning back on bull,
touching horns, etc |
| |
alegrar |
- |
to excite the bull to attack |
| |
alegria |
- |
the seeming enjoyment of matador or
bull |
| |
alguacillo |
- |
mounted constable at head of paseillo,
also presents trophies |
| |
aliar |
- |
fighting with the muleta without adornment
or artistic intent |
| |
almohadillas |
- |
cushions |
| |
alternando |
- |
"alternating", matadors
who are appearing on a cartel |
| |
alternativa |
- |
a ceremony in which a novillero graduates
to matador de toros |
| |
alto, pase por |
- |
high right-handed muleta pass |
| |
andanada |
|
upper floor of the gradas, the covered
seating part of bullring |
| |
anillo |
|
"ring", actual part of arena
where bullfight takes place |
| |
ano |
|
yearling calf |
| |
apartado |
|
separation of bulls prior to the bullfight
into individual pens |
| |
aplausos |
|
applause |
| |
apoderado |
|
torero's manager |
| |
apodo |
|
"nickname", such as "El
Cordobes" - "The Cordoban" |
| |
apuntillar |
|
the act of administering the puntilla |
| |
aragonesa |
|
pass like the gaonera but bull behind
man rather than to one side |
| |
arandela |
|
metal ring on shaft of pica which
stops it penetrating too far |
| |
arena |
|
"sand", another term for
bullring |
| |
areneros |
|
men who smooth sand over prior to
release of bull |
| |
armadura |
|
"armour", the bull's horns |
| |
armamento |
|
"armament", the bull's horns |
| |
arpon |
|
"harpoon", the barb of metal
on a banderilla |
| |
arranada |
|
the attack of the bull |
| |
arrancar |
|
this is the first of the three stages of making the kill. this is the straight charge at the bull. the second stage is "cruzar"; the third stage is "salida". |
| |
arrastre |
|
the mules removing the dead bull from
the ring |
| |
arrimarse |
|
matador fighting with great courage
and truly doing his best |
| |
arroba |
|
about 25 pounds, an old method of
estimating a bull's weight |
| |
arrucina |
|
pass invented by Arruza, muleta held
in right hand behind legs |
| |
asesor |
|
technical advisor to the president
of the bullring |
| |
asta |
|
horn |
| |
astifino |
|
thin, pointed horns |
| |
astigordo |
|
thick horns |
| |
astillado |
|
splintered horns |
| |
atravesada |
|
sword thrust which enters at an angle |
| |
atropellado |
|
trampled |
| |
aviso |
|
warning given to the matador that
he is taking too much time |
| |
ayudado |
|
"helped", pass where muleta
is helped with the sword in other hand |
| |
azabache |
|
shiny or velvety black |
| |
azteca |
|
adjective term used to denote Mexican |
| |
|
| B |
bajo, pase por |
|
low pass designed to keep bull's head
down |
| |
bajonazo |
|
a safe, unfair sword thrust low in
bull's neck |
| |
banderilla |
|
75cm darts with vari-colored paper
and a barbed harpoon |
| |
banderillas negras |
|
(black banderillas) used when bull
does not charge horse |
| |
banderillero |
|
matador's assistant who places the
banderillas |
| |
barrenar |
|
when picador "drills" or
twists pica to deepen wound |
| |
barrera |
|
fence encircling the bull ring, also
first row of seats |
| |
becerrada |
|
calf fight |
| |
becerrista |
|
calf-fighter, pre-novillero |
| |
becerro |
|
calf up to three years |
| |
bizco |
|
"cross-eyed", one horn higher
than the other |
| |
blando |
|
soft bull |
| |
brindis |
|
dedication by the matador of the bull
to a person or the crowd |
| |
bos taurus ibericus |
|
scientific name for the fighting bull |
| |
bota |
|
wineskin |
| |
bramar |
|
to bellow, considered cowardly in
a bull |
| |
bravo |
|
wild |
| |
brega, capote de |
|
technical name for the magenta cape |
| |
brindis |
|
salute to person(s), to whom the bullfighter
is dedicating the bull |
| |
brionesa |
|
cape pass invented by Briones, same
as pase de pecho with muleta |
| |
brocho |
|
horns curved close together |
| |
bronca |
|
strong demonstration of disapproval
by the crowd |
| |
bruto, en |
|
weight of bull before dressing - see
en canal |
| |
bufido |
|
snorting bull, again often considered
cowardly |
| |
burladero |
|
"fooler" wooden shield in
front of barrerra opening |
| |
burriciego |
|
bull with defective vision, can see
distances but not close up |
| |
buscar |
|
(to look for) when bull is searching
for the man behind the cloth |
| |
|
| C |
cabriola |
|
when bull dips horns into sand and
flips over |
| |
cacho, fuera del |
|
passing the bull but keeping away
from the horns |
| |
caida |
|
"fall" of the picador and/or
horse |
| |
cajon |
|
reinforced crate in which a bull is
transported to the bullring |
| |
callejon |
|
a narrow passageway between the barrera
and the spectators' stands |
| |
cambiado |
|
movement in a direction other than
the natural one |
| |
cambio |
|
"change" of direction of
bull's charge/asking for change of a
tercio |
| |
canal, en |
|
weight of a bull after being dressed
by the butchers |
| |
capa |
|
"cape", magenta and yellow/blue
or reference to bull's coat |
| |
capea |
|
free-for-all where amateurs are allowed
to cape a bull |
| |
capilla |
|
"chapel" at bullring where
toreros offer prayers before bullfight |
| |
capote |
|
same as capa, sometimes called capote
de brega |
| |
capote de paseo |
|
special dress cape worn by toreros
on foot in the paseillo |
| |
cargar la suerte |
|
matador's action/follow-through with
bull's line of charge |
| |
carpintero |
|
bullring "carpenter" who
repairs damage to wooden barrier |
| |
cartel |
|
poster advertising bullfight also
term describing matador's prestige |
| |
Cemsl |
|
to pass the bull very close |
| |
casta |
|
the quality of breeding or strain
of a bull |
| |
castaño |
|
"chestnut" coloured bull |
| |
catedral |
|
"cathedral", a very large
bull |
| |
ceñirse |
|
to pass the bull very close |
| |
chaquetilla |
|
jacket of the suit of lights |
| |
charlotada |
|
comic bullfight, usually with midgets |
| |
chicuelina |
|
pass invented by Chicuelo, cape is
pulled in tight against body |
| |
chiquero |
|
stall where bull awaits its entrance
into the arena |
| |
cintas |
|
red cloth wound around matador's sword |
| |
citar |
|
to provoke the bull to attack |
| |
clavar |
|
to place the banderillas |
| |
coger |
|
to catch or to toss |
| |
cogida |
|
a tossing |
| |
cojo |
|
lame |
| |
cola |
|
another word for bull's tail, also
queue of people for tickets |
| |
coleta |
|
torero's pigtail, nowadays artificial |
| |
con peticion |
|
with petition, as in when a crowd
wants more trofeos given to the matador
than the judge has authorized, then
the award is said to be given "con
peticion" |
| |
con protestas |
|
with protest, as in when a judge awards
more trofeos than the crowd wants |
| |
concurso |
|
"competition" bullfight
between ganaderias to find the best
bull |
| |
confirmacion |
|
the confirmation of an alternativa
in Madrid or Mexico City |
| |
contrabarrera |
|
the second row of seats in the bullring |
| |
cornada |
|
a goring, a horn wound corniabierto
- wide and open horns |
| |
corniadelatero |
|
forward-set horns |
| |
cornicorto |
|
short horns |
| |
corrida |
|
bullfight where bulls are at least
four years old |
| |
corral |
|
enclosure at bullring where bulls
are kept after arriving from ranch |
| |
corredores |
|
the runners participating in the "running
of the bulls" |
| |
correr la mano |
|
"to run the hand", prolonging
a one-handed pass |
| |
cortar la coleta |
|
"to cut the pigtail", to
retire from bullfighting |
| |
cortas |
|
short banderillas |
| |
coso |
|
old term for bullring |
| |
cruz |
|
the highest part of the bull's back
or withers |
| |
cruzar |
|
this is the Second of the three stages of making the kill. this is the sword thrust, with the muleta in the left hand crossing at the same time beneath the sword arm to mark the bull's Salida or direction of exit from the confrontation. the first stage is "arrancar"; the third stage is "salida". "Cruzar" also refers to "crossing" in front of the animal, in order to reposition it. |
| |
cuadrar |
|
"to square" the bull's feet
ready for the kill |
| |
cuadrilla |
|
the matadors's team of three banderilleros
and two picadors |
| |
cuna |
|
"cradle" between the bull's
horns where one is safer when being
tossed |
| |
cuarteo, al |
|
the commonest method of placing banderillas |
| |
cuerno |
|
horn |
| |
|
| D |
delanteras |
|
front rows of tendidos and gradas |
| |
derechazo |
|
a right-hand pass with the muleta |
| |
derribo |
|
knocking over bulls in the wild with
a blunt lance |
| |
derrote |
|
an upward thrust of the bull's head |
| |
desafiar |
|
"to defy", when bull paws
the ground and backs up before charging |
| |
desarmar |
|
"to disarm", when bull tears
the muleta out of the matador's hand |
| |
descabellar |
|
method of killing bull by stabbing
it in the back of the neck |
| |
descabello |
|
straight sword with crosspiece near
end of blade |
| |
desencajamiento |
|
desencajonada - "uncrating"
of the bulls at the bullring |
| |
despedida |
|
the farewell performance of a matador |
| |
desplante |
|
a pose where the bull is being dared
to gore the torero |
| |
diestro |
|
another term for matador |
| |
director de lidia |
|
the "combat director", the
senior matador on a cartel |
| |
divisa |
|
rosette of ranch colours on bull when
it enters the ring |
| |
division de opiniones |
|
"division of opinions" of
the crowd to a performance |
| |
doctorarse |
|
to take the alternativa, the doctorate
of bullfighting |
| |
|
| E |
embestida |
|
the bull's charge |
| |
embolado |
|
bull's horns padded as in Portugal
or knobbed |
| |
empresa |
|
the organisation that promotes a bullfight |
| |
empresario |
|
the manager of the organisation promoting
a bullfight |
| |
encastado |
|
a bull that is representaitive of
its particular strain of breed |
| |
encierro |
|
running of the bulls through the streets
as in Pamplona |
| |
encuentro, al |
|
bull and man run to meet each other
in the act of killing |
| |
enfermeria |
|
the bullring infirmary, usually with
operating table |
| |
entrada |
|
term for a bullfight ticket |
| |
entrar a matar |
|
to "enter for the kill" |
| |
eral |
|
a two year old bull |
| |
escalafon |
|
"league" table(s) of rankings,
of which there are seperate ones for
matadors, novilleros, and rejoneadors |
| |
espada |
|
"sword", also another term
for a matador |
| |
espontaneo |
|
amateur who jumps into the ring to
cape bull illegally |
| |
estatuario |
|
statuesque muleta pass |
| |
estocada |
|
the plunging of the estoque sword
into the bull |
| |
estoque |
|
curved sword used for killing |
| |
estribo |
|
the small step or platform jutting
out from the barrera |
| |
|
| F |
faena |
|
all the work done with the muleta
in the last part of the bullfight |
| |
faja |
|
torero's sash |
| |
farol |
|
two-handed cape pass where it is flipped
over and round man's head |
| |
feria |
|
a fair |
| |
fiesta brava |
|
the "wild feast", another
term for the bullfight |
| |
fijar |
|
to fix bull's attention or to place
it in a spot |
| |
firma |
|
pase de la - pass of Granero where
muleta is snatched from bull's face |
| |
flamear |
|
to shake or wave cape to attract bull's
attention |
| |
flojo |
|
"weak", a bull without much
power |
| |
forcado |
|
member of a Portuguese team which
wrestle with bull |
| |
fracaso |
|
calamity or failure, used to refer
to a flop performance |
| |
franela |
|
"flannel", another name
for the muleta |
| |
frente por detras, de |
|
pass where cape is brought forward
from behind back |
| |
fundon |
|
large leather case containing matador's
swords and muleta sticks |
| |
|
| G |
ganaderia |
|
bull breeding ranch |
| |
ganadero |
|
the owner of a bull breeding ranch |
| |
gaonera |
|
pass where cape is held to one side
behind matador's back |
| |
garrocha |
|
blunt lance used on ranches |
| |
garrocha, salto de |
|
seldom used stunt where torero pole
vaults over the bull |
| |
gitano |
|
"gypsy" torero |
| |
golpe |
|
a blow or knock received by a torero |
| |
gradas |
|
covered seats in upper part of bullring |
| |
grave |
|
grave or serious wound |
| |
|
| H |
herida |
|
injury |
| |
hierro |
|
the brand given to a bull to designate
its ranch |
| |
hombreras |
|
the epaulets on a matador's jacket |
| |
hora de verdad |
|
"the moment of truth", when
entering for the kill |
| |
huido |
|
a bull with little desire to fight,
especially against picador |
| |
|
| I |
igualar |
|
to place bull in best position for
the kill |
| |
indulto |
|
"pardon" granted to a bull
for exceptional bravery |
| |
ingle |
|
groin, common place for horn wounds |
| |
|
| K |
kikiriki |
|
muleta swirled in front of bull's
face in a figure of eight |
| |
|
| L |
lance |
|
any cape pass, but generally a veronica |
| |
larga |
|
a pass where the cape is gathered
in one hand and then thrown out |
| |
larga cambiada |
|
a cape pass usually done while kneeling |
| |
lidia |
|
"combat", everything done
with the bull from start to finish |
| |
llamar |
|
to call the bull to charge |
| |
llenazo |
|
a full bullring, a complete sell-out |
| |
|
| M |
maestro |
|
used to describe an experienced matador |
| |
mandar |
|
to dominate the bull |
| |
mano a mano |
|
"hand to hand", two matadors
perform, competing with each other |
| |
manoletina |
|
muleta is held behind one's back and
lifted over bull's head |
| |
manso |
|
a bull which refuses to fight to some
degree |
| |
marcando los tiempos |
|
marking the different stages of the kill.
- the first stage is "arrancar", the straight charge in;
- the second stage is "cruzar", the sword thrust with the muleta in the left hand craossing at the same time beneath the sword arm to mark the bull's salida, or direction of exit from the confrontation;
- the third stage is "salir", the disengaging by the matador along the bull's flank once the sword is well in and the horns past, controlled with the muleta.
|
| |
mariposa |
|
"butterfly", a spectacular
pass with cape held behind one's back |
| |
matador de toros |
|
"killer of bulls" |
| |
mayoral |
|
ranch foreman who usually accompanies
the bulls to the ring |
| |
media estocada |
|
when the sword enters the bull with
only half the blade |
| |
media veronica |
|
pass where the cape is gathered up
on the hip, ending series |
| |
medios, los |
|
the centre part of the ring |
| |
metisaca |
|
where the sword is thrust into the
bull and pulled out again |
| |
mirando al publico |
|
cape or muleta pass performed while
looking at the crowd |
| |
molinete |
|
muleta pass where matador spins round
after the horns have passed |
| |
mona |
|
picador's leg armour |
| |
monsabios |
|
costumed ring servants who assist
picadors and drag out dead bull |
| |
montera |
|
hat worn by matadors and banderilleros |
| |
morillo |
|
hump of muscle on top of bull's neck |
| |
mozo de espadas |
|
matador's sword-handler |
| |
muerte, pase de la |
|
"pass of death", matador
stands motionless, muleta high |
| |
muleta |
|
red flannel cloth with stick inserted,
used during faena |
| |
muletazo |
|
a muleta pass |
| |
mulillas |
|
team of mules used to drag dead bull
from the ring |
| |
murillos |
|
the bull's powerful neck, tossing muscle, |
| |
|
| N |
natural |
|
usually refers to left-handed muleta
pass without sword being used |
| |
novillada |
|
a bullfight for novilleros. the bulls are only
three years old |
| |
novillero |
|
an apprentice matador who has not
received the alternativa to become a matador. before an apprentice is a novillero, he, or she, is a becerrista |
| |
novillo |
|
a three year old bull fought in novilladas |
| |
|
| O |
ojo de perdiz |
|
"partridge-eyed", a bull
with rings around its eyes |
| |
ole |
|
bravo ! |
| |
oreja |
|
bull's ear |
| |
ovacion |
|
standing ovation |
| |
|
| P |
padrino |
|
"godfather", matador who
gives the alternativa to a novillero |
| |
palco |
|
a box in the bullring similar to one
in a theatre with several seats |
| |
paletazo |
|
a blow struck with the flat of the
horn |
| |
palos |
|
"sticks", another word for
banderillas |
| |
palmas |
|
"palms" of hands, hand claps |
| |
panuelo |
|
"handkerchief" used to petition
trophies and by President to signal |
| |
parar |
|
"to stop", to stand motionless
as bull charges by |
| |
parte facultivo |
|
medical bulletin on the condition
of an injured torero |
| |
pase |
|
a cape or muleta pass |
| |
pase de pecho |
|
chest pass with muleta |
| |
paseillo |
|
when the toreros parade into the ring
at start of the bullfight |
| |
paseo |
|
as paseillo |
| |
pasodoble |
|
style of music played by bullring
bands |
| |
pata |
|
bull's hoof no longer awarded as a
trophy |
| |
patio de caballos |
|
horse yard at the bullring... this is also where the toreros assemble before the walking into the ring for the bullfight... a small chapel is usually found in this area. |
| |
pecho, pase de |
|
"chest pass", muleta at
chest height as bull passes |
| |
peña taurina |
|
a club devoted to bullfighting |
| |
pendulo |
|
"pendulum" pass, muleta
held behind back and moved back and
forth |
| |
peon |
|
another word for banderillero |
| |
peon de confianza |
|
the senior member of a matador's team |
| |
percance |
|
an accident or mishap |
| |
perfilarse |
|
"to profile", to position
oneself for the kill |
| |
perpendicular |
|
a sword thrust which penetrates at
a near 90 degree angle |
| |
peso |
|
the weight of the bull |
| |
peto |
|
mattress-like protection worn since
1928 by the picador's horse |
| |
pica |
|
picador's lance |
| |
picador |
|
lancer whose job it is to weaken bull's
neck muscles |
| |
picar |
|
to wound the bull with the lance |
| |
pinchazo |
|
"prick", an unsuccessful
sword thrust |
| |
piton |
|
the point of a bulls horn |
| |
pitos |
|
whistles, signifies a crowd's displeasure |
| |
plaza de toros |
|
the bullring plaza |
| |
partida |
|
bullring divided in half with different
fights in each half |
| |
poder a poder |
|
style of placing banderillas, meeting
bull almost head on |
| |
presidente |
|
controller of the bullfight, usually
a town official |
| |
pundonor |
|
point of honour, depth of feeling
of a matador |
| |
puntazo |
|
a light horn puncture wound or scratch |
| |
puntilla |
|
small dagger used by banderilleros
to kill a downed bull |
| |
puntillero |
|
the banderillero who uses the puntilla |
| |
puya |
|
the point of a picador's lance |
| |
puyazo |
|
the wound given by the puya |
| |
|
| Q |
querencia |
|
area of the ring chosen by the bull
where it feels secure |
| |
quiebro, al |
|
"on the dodge" style of
placing banderillas at last moment |
| |
quite |
|
pass to turn attention of bull or
passes following a pic |
| |
|
| R |
rabo |
|
bull's tail |
| |
raya |
|
chalk lines around the ring |
| |
recibiendo |
|
"receiving", bull's charge
is provoked when killing |
| |
recorte |
|
any pass where the bull is turned
so sharply it comes to a stop |
| |
redondel |
|
"circle", another word for
the arena |
| |
redondo, en |
|
to pass the bull all around in a circle |
