chelito

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃeˈlito/ [t͡ʃeˈli.t̪o]
• Rhymes: -ito
• Syllabification: che‧li‧to

Etymology 1

From Classical Nahuatl celic (“green thing”), plus the diminutive -ito.

Noun

chelito m (plural chelitos)

1. (colloquial, El Salvador) sleep (in the corner of the eye)

   Synonyms: lagaña, legaña, (es, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras) chele

   Tienes un chelito en el ojo derecho, quítatelo.

   You have some sleep in your right eye, take it off.

2. (colloquial, El Salvador) correction fluid

   Synonym: liquid paper

   Pasame chelito, necesito corregir algo.

   Pass me the correction fluid, I need to correct something.

Etymology 2

From chele (“fair-skinned”), a vesre form of leche (“milk”), plus the diminutive -ito.

Adjective

chelito (feminine chelita, masculine plural chelitos, feminine plural chelitas)

1. (colloquial, El Salvador, Honduras) fair-skinned, white, white-skinned

Noun

chelito m (plural chelitos, feminine chelita, feminine plural chelitas)

1. (colloquial, El Salvador, Honduras) fair-skinned man, white man, white-skinned man

   Me sorprende que se casara con una chelita de Chalate.

   I'm surprised to hear he apparently married a white-skinned woman from Chalatenango.