Cigüeña (en. Stork)
/siɡweˈɲa/
Meaning & Definition
EnglishSpanish
noun
Bird belonging to the family Ciconiidae, with a long neck and long legs, known for its habit of nesting in chimneys or towers.
The stork arrived at its nest in the church tower.
La cigüeña llegó a su nido en la torre de la iglesia.
Symbol of the arrival of a baby, commonly associated with motherhood.
They say the stork brings babies.
Dicen que la cigüeña trae a los bebés.
Migratory bird found in Europe and Asia during the summer.
In spring, the storks return from their migrations.
En primavera, las cigüeñas regresan de sus migraciones.
Etymology
From Latin 'ciconia', which means stork.
Common Phrases and Expressions
The stork is coming
Expression meaning that a baby is on the way.
La cigüeña viene
To walk like a stork
Expression denoting to walk with elegance or grace.
Andar como cigüeña
Related Words
nesting
The process by which birds build a nest to raise their young.
anidación
motherhood
State or condition of being a mother.
maternidad
migration
Seasonal movement of animals in search of better conditions.
migración
Slang Meanings
It is used humorously to refer to someone who brings good news.
That friend is like a stork, always brings good news.
Ese amigo es como una cigüeña, siempre trae buenas nuevas.
In some places, it is used to refer to a very thin person, like a stork.
Look at that stork, she looks like she hasn't eaten in days.
Mira que cigüeña, parece que no ha comido en días.