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martirio

martyrdom

noun mar-TEE-ryoh Rare

Origin: From Latin martyrium, from Greek martyrion.

Also means

ordeal

Usage Note

Martirio literally means the suffering or death of a martyr (mártir), but it is widely used in everyday Spanish to describe any prolonged suffering or ordeal — 'ese viaje fue un martirio' ('that trip was an ordeal'). The verb form is martirizar ('to martyr' or 'to torment').

Examples

"Esperar horas en el aeropuerto es un martirio."

Natural Translation

Waiting hours at the airport is an ordeal.

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