cavidad
Lemma Details
Translation: cavity; hollow; space; void; recess
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'cavitas' (hollowness), which comes from 'cavus' meaning 'hollow'. The English cognate 'cavity' shares the same Latin root. The word structure preserves the Latin concept of an empty space or hollow area within a solid structure.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El dentista encontró una cavidad en mi molar.
The dentist found a cavity in my molar.
La cavidad torácica contiene órganos vitales como el corazón y los pulmones.
The thoracic cavity contains vital organs such as the heart and lungs.
Hay una pequeña cavidad en la pared donde podemos esconder la llave.
There's a small hollow in the wall where we can hide the key.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'cave' in English - a natural hollow in the earth - to remember 'cavidad' means a hollow space.
- The 'cav' in 'cavidad' sounds like 'cave', which is a natural hollow.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Commonly used in medical and anatomical contexts in Spanish, similar to English. The term appears frequently in healthcare education and scientific literature.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'cavidad' refers to a physical hollow or space, 'cavilación' means 'pondering' or 'brooding' - they sound similar but have completely different meanings.
This word:
El médico examinó la cavidad nasal del paciente.
The doctor examined the patient's nasal cavity.
Confused word:
Se perdió en profundas cavilaciones sobre su futuro.
He got lost in deep ponderings about his future.
Notes: The words share some letters but come from different Latin roots - 'cavitas' (hollow) vs. 'cavillatio' (jeering, scoffing, which evolved to mean overthinking).
Mnemonic: Remember: 'cavidad' is physical (like a cave), while 'cavilación' is mental (thinking).
Explanation: 'Cavidad' means a hollow or cavity, while 'calidad' means 'quality'. They look somewhat similar in writing but have different meanings and pronunciations.
This word:
La infección se extendió por toda la cavidad oral.
The infection spread throughout the oral cavity.
Notes: The pronunciation differs: ca-vi-DAD vs. ca-li-DAD.
Mnemonic: 'Cavidad' has 'cav' like 'cave' (a hollow space), while 'calidad' has 'cal' like 'quality'.