Terms

Terms of bullfighting

Here you can find some of the terms used in bullfighting:

Afeitar: "To Shave", to illegally shorten bull's horns.
Afici�n: The love of bullfighting, aficionados as a group.
Alarde: Showing off, turning back on bull, touching horns, etc.
Alguacillo: Mounted constable at head of paseillo, also presents trophies
Alternativa: It is the ceremony in which novilleros are proposed and seconded by two bullfighters and therby graduate from novillero to bullfighter.
Apuntillar: The act of administering the puntilla.
Asta: Horn
Aviso: Warning given to the matador that he is taking too much time.
Banderillero: He is a member of the bullfighter or novillero's team who, in the second third , places the banderillas (barbed sticks), into the bulls back.
Becerrada: Calf fight
Becerrista: Calf-fighter, pre-novillero.
Becerro: Calf up to three years.
Brega, capote de: Technical name for the magenta cape.
Brindis: Dedication by the matador of the bull to a person in the crowd.
Burladero: "Fooler" wooden shield in front of barrera opening.
Callej�n: A narrow passageway between the barrera and the spectators' stands.
Capote: It is a big work cape, magenta on the outside and yellow (sometimes blue) on the inside. It is used by the bullfighter or novillero during the first and second third.
Corrida (Bullfight): It is an spectacle where a bullfighter fights bulls that are aged at leats four years old.
Cuadrilla: They are all the members of the bullfighter or novillero's team who help him during the corrida.
Descabellar: Method of killing bull by stabbing it in the back of the neck.
Descabello: Straight sword with crosspiece near end of blade.
Espontaneo: Amateur who jumps into the ring to cape bull illegally.
Estocada: The plunging of the estoque sword into the bull.
Estoque: Curved sword used for killing.
Festival: It is a bullfight in which the bullfighter or novillero do not wear the traditional "suit of lights" (traje de luces) but traje corto, a suit similar to that worn in the countryside by the bull ranchers. In a festival, it is customary for the tips of the bulls' horns to be taken off so they are "despuntados". A bull with horns intact is "en punto".
Ganader�a: Bull breeding ranch.
Indulto: If a bull has shown exceptional bravery and the crowd petition tha President of the bullring (an official appointed by law to supervise the bullfight) before it is killed, he will grant an indulto (pardon) and spare the bull's life. The bull will usually then become a semental (stud bull).
Monosabio: Costumed ring servants who assist picadors and drag out dead bull.
Montera: Hat worn by matadors and banderilleros.
Mozo de espadas: Matador's sword-handler.
Muleta: It is a red flannel on a wood stick that the bullfighter uses in the last third.
Muletazo: A muleta pass.
Novillada: It is an spectacle where a novillero fights novillos (bulls that are only aged at leats three years old).
Paseillo: When the toreros parade into the ring at start of the bullfight.
Pasodoble: Style of music played by bullring bands.
Picador: Lancer whose job it is to weaken bull's neck muscles
Pinchazo: "Prick", an unsuccessful sword thrust.
Puntilla: Small dagger used by banderilleros to kill a downed bull.
Subalterno: A member of a matador's team.
Taurino: Pertaining to bullfighting.
Tauromaquia: The science of bullfighting.
Templar: "To moderate", to move the cape or muleta very slowly/smoothly.
Traje de luces: "Suit of lights", the costume of the torero.
Trofeos (Trophies): Trofeos are awarded to the bullfighter or novillero following and outstanding performance. In order of precedence they are as follows. With the concent of the crowd, he might take a lap around the ring (vuelta). If the majority of the crowd petition the President, usually by way of waving white handkerchiefs (pa�uelos), he has to award one ear (una oreja). If the crowd petition and the President himself considers that the performance has been outstanding, he may award two ears (dos orejas). If the President considers the performance to be exceptional, he will award two ears and the tail (dos orejas y rabo) also known as "los m�ximos trofeos". The trofeos are cut from the dead bull and presented to the bullfighter or novillero who then takes one or more vuelta to the ring. If he has cut at least two ears in the whole bullfight, he is entitled to be carried out of the ring on the shoulders of the crowd (salida en hombros).

Terms of bullfighting

Here you can find some of the terms used in bullfighting:

Afeitar

"To Shave", to illegally shorten bull's horns.

Afici�n

The love of bullfighting, aficionados as a group.

Alarde

Showing off, turning back on bull, touching horns, etc.

Alguacillo

Mounted constable at head of paseillo, also presents trophies

Alternativa

It is the ceremony in which novilleros are proposed and seconded by two bullfighters and therby graduate from novillero to bullfighter.

Apuntillar

The act of administering the puntilla.

Asta

Horn

Aviso

Warning given to the matador that he is taking too much time.

Banderillero

He is a member of the bullfighter or novillero's team who, in the second third , places the banderillas (barbed sticks), into the bulls back.

Becerrada

Calf fight

Becerrista

Calf-fighter, pre-novillero.

Becerro

Calf up to three years.

Brega, capote de

Technical name for the magenta cape.

Brindis

Dedication by the matador of the bull to a person in the crowd.

Burladero

"Fooler" wooden shield in front of barrera opening.

Callej�n

A narrow passageway between the barrera and the spectators' stands.

Capote

It is a big work cape, magenta on the outside and yellow (sometimes blue) on the inside. It is used by the bullfighter or novillero during the first and second third.

Corrida (Bullfight)

It is an spectacle where a bullfighter fights bulls that are aged at leats four years old.

Cuadrilla

They are all the members of the bullfighter or novillero's team who help him during the corrida.

Descabellar

Method of killing bull by stabbing it in the back of the neck.

Descabello

Straight sword with crosspiece near end of blade.

Espontaneo

Amateur who jumps into the ring to cape bull illegally.

Estocada

The plunging of the estoque sword into the bull.

Estoque

Curved sword used for killing.

Festival

Ganader�a

Bull breeding ranch.

Indulto

If a bull has shown exceptional bravery and the crowd petition tha President of the bullring (an official appointed by law to supervise the bullfight) before it is killed, he will grant an indulto (pardon) and spare the bull's life. The bull will usually then become a semental (stud bull).

Monosabio

Costumed ring servants who assist picadors and drag out dead bull.

Montera

Hat worn by matadors and banderilleros.

Mozo de espadas

Matador's sword-handler.

Muleta

It is a red flannel on a wood stick that the bullfighter uses in the last third.

Muletazo

A muleta pass.

Novillada

It is an spectacle where a novillero fights novillos (bulls that are only aged at leats three years old).

Paseillo

When the toreros parade into the ring at start of the bullfight.

Pasodoble

Style of music played by bullring bands.

Picador

Lancer whose job it is to weaken bull's neck muscles

Pinchazo

"Prick", an unsuccessful sword thrust.

Puntilla

Small dagger used by banderilleros to kill a downed bull.

Subalterno

A member of a matador's team.

Taurino