cabecilla

ringleader

noun kah-beh-SEE-yah Rare

Origin: Diminutive of cabeza (head).

Also means

gang leader

Usage Note

Cabecilla refers to the leader of a criminal gang, rebel group, or unruly mob — it almost always carries a negative or pejorative connotation. Despite ending in -a, it is grammatically masculine when referring to a male (el cabecilla) and feminine for a female (la cabecilla), making it a common-gender noun. It is rarely used in neutral or positive contexts.

Examples

"La policía detuvo al cabecilla de la banda."

Natural Translation

The police arrested the ringleader of the gang.

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