piso piloto
Lemma Details
Translation: show home; show apartment; model apartment; display home; show flat
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Compound of 'piso' (floor, apartment) from Latin 'pensum' (something hanging, weighed) and 'piloto' (pilot, guide) from Italian 'pilota', ultimately from Greek 'pēdōtēs' (helmsman). The term evolved to describe a sample apartment that guides or leads potential buyers in visualizing the final product.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Visitamos el piso piloto antes de decidir comprar el apartamento.
We visited the show apartment before deciding to buy the apartment.
La promotora ha abierto un piso piloto para mostrar cómo quedarán las viviendas una vez terminadas.
The developer has opened a show home to demonstrate how the homes will look once completed.
El piso piloto estaba decorado con muebles modernos y elegantes.
The model apartment was decorated with modern and elegant furniture.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'piso' (apartment) + 'piloto' (pilot) as an apartment that 'pilots' or guides your decision to buy.
- Imagine a pilot giving you a tour of a sample apartment - it's your guide to what the final product will look like.
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish real estate, 'pisos piloto' are fully furnished and decorated apartments or homes that developers use to showcase properties before construction is complete. They're a common marketing strategy in Spain's property development industry, allowing potential buyers to experience the look and feel of properties still under construction.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'piso piloto' refers to a model apartment or show home, 'planta piloto' means 'pilot plant' - a small-scale preliminary version of an industrial plant used to test processes before full-scale implementation.
Notes: Both terms use 'piloto' to indicate a test or sample version, but in completely different contexts - residential vs. industrial.
Mnemonic: 'Piso' relates to housing (apartment), while 'planta' relates to industrial facilities (plant).