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malabarista

juggler

noun mah-lah-bah-REES-tah Rare
Arts & Culture Performance

Origin: From malabar, possibly from the Malabar Coast of India, associated with acrobatic street performers who arrived via trade routes.

Usage Note

Malabarista is a common-gender noun: el/la malabarista. It refers to a juggler or circus acrobat and, figuratively, to anyone who skillfully manages many tasks at once (es una malabarista con los horarios, she juggles schedules brilliantly). The related verb is hacer malabares (to juggle, literally or figuratively); there is no verb malabarear in standard use.

Examples

"La malabarista lanzó seis pelotas al aire sin parar."

Natural Translation

The juggler threw six balls into the air without stopping.

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