piranha

Meaning

Noun

• Any of the carnivorous or frugivorous freshwater fish living in South American rivers and belonging to the subfamily Serrasalminae (subfamily).

Origin

• First attested in 1869. The first part of the term is from Old Tupi pirá. There are several theories regarding the source of second part, including:
• It may be from Old Tupi sanha, sainha, or a Guaraní cognate of the same.
• It may be from Old Tupi ánha, anhá (which also meant "bad" or "devil" in Tupi-Guarani).
• The full term may have been pira nya, a variant of pira'ya, in Old Tupi.
• The term entered English via Portuguese (as piranha) and Spanish (as piraña).