murciélago

bat (animal)

noun moor-SYEH-lah-goh Rare

Origin: From medieval Spanish murciégalo, from Latin mus caeculus 'blind mouse', reflecting the old belief that bats were blind.

Usage Note

Murciélago is famous among Spanish learners because it contains all five vowels (a, e, i, o, u). It is masculine despite ending in -o, as expected. The blood-feeding species is the murciélago vampiro or simply vampiro.

Examples

"Un murciélago entró por la ventana abierta."

Natural Translation

A bat flew in through the open window.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Spanish Numbers 1-100: Count, Spell & Pronounce

Spanish numbers 1 to 100 are a system, not a list: three patterns build every number. Master the spelling, the accent rule, and how to say prices fast.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

How to Memorize Spanish Vocabulary Fast (That Sticks)

Memorize Spanish vocabulary fast with a 15-minute daily loop: spaced repetition, frequency-first words, and example-sentence cards that actually stick.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Subjunctive Explained Simply for Beginners

The Spanish subjunctive is a mood, not a tense — use it after a WEIRDO trigger plus que. Learn the one rule, the yo-form recipe, and the lines you already say.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

SpanishNow

Ser vs. Estar: When to Use Each in Spanish

Ser vs estar made simple: how you feel and where you are use estar, everything else uses ser. Master the rule, the exceptions, and the traps that flip meaning.

June 3, 2026 6 min read