botado
Lemma Details
Translation: thrown away; discarded; abandoned; wasted; stranded
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: Botado is the past participle of the verb 'botar', which comes from the Germanic root 'botan' (to push, to strike). It entered Spanish through Old French 'boter' (to push). The term evolved to describe something that has been cast aside or abandoned. The English cognate 'boot' (as in 'to boot someone out') shares this Germanic origin of forceful movement or ejection.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Encontré un perro botado en la calle.
I found an abandoned dog on the street.
No dejes tus cosas botadas por toda la casa.
Don't leave your things thrown around all over the house.
El coche quedó botado en medio de la carretera.
The car was left stranded in the middle of the road.
Es dinero botado si compras ese producto.
It's wasted money if you buy that product.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'boat' + '-ado' = something that's been 'set adrift' or abandoned.
- Associate with 'booted out' – something that's been kicked away or discarded.
- Picture a 'bot' (robot) that has been abandoned or thrown away.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Latin American Spanish, particularly in countries like Colombia, Chile, and Peru, 'botado' is frequently used to describe something carelessly discarded or abandoned. In some regions, it can also refer to someone who is extremely relaxed or carefree (e.g., 'estar botado' can mean 'to be chilling').
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'botado' means 'thrown away' or 'abandoned', 'votado' means 'voted' (from 'votar', to vote). They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The pronunciation is very similar in many Spanish dialects where 'b' and 'v' sound nearly identical, making these words particularly easy to confuse.
Mnemonic: 'Botado' has a 'b' like 'bin' where things are thrown away; 'votado' has a 'v' like 'vote'.
Explanation: While 'botado' alone typically means 'discarded', the phrase 'botado de risa' is an idiom meaning 'laughing uncontrollably' in some Latin American countries.
Notes: This idiomatic usage is common in countries like Peru, Colombia, and Chile.
Mnemonic: Think of someone who's so overcome with laughter they've 'thrown themselves away' or lost control.