pubilla

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin pūpilla, feminine of pūpillus (“child, ward”). Doublet of pupil·la.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [puˈβi.ʎə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [puˈbi.ʎə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [puˈbi.ʎa]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Noun

pubilla f (plural pubilles)

1. heiress presumptive: a woman who, in the Catalan tradition, is anticipated to inherit property (from her parents or another ascendant) because she has no brothers, and who will hold it in her own right

   Coordinate terms: pubill (“non-heir husband of a pubilla”), hereu (“male heir”)

2. a family's eldest daughter
3. a courteous form of address to a young woman
4. a girl or woman who is chosen to ceremonially preside a festival (compare with English-speaking traditions such as May Queen, etc.)
5. (figurative) a prime example of some category of things; queen, crown jewel (of...)

   la pubilla dels castells ― the princess of castells (the torre de set, so called due to its difficulty)

   ciutat pubilla de la sardana ― the queen city of the sardana, the capital of the sardana (chosen annually)

6. (with la) the city of Barcelona
7. gurnard

   Synonyms: paona, lluerna

Related terms

• hereva (heiress)