canalla
/kaˈnaʎa/
ES
A scoundrel, rascal, or villain; a mean, dishonest person
Ese canalla me robó la cartera en el metro.
That scoundrel stole my wallet on the subway.
Etymology
Canalla comes from Latin 'canis' (dog), originally referring to a pack of dogs. By the 13th century, it evolved to mean a group of low-life people, and later gained the modern meaning of a single dishonest, unprincipled person.
Memory Aid
Canalla sounds a little like 'canine' (related to dogs) — think of a sneaky, untrustworthy person as a 'cur' (a term for a mixed-breed dog, often implying sneakiness).
Collocations
hombre canallamujer canallacanalla cobarde
Synonyms
sinvergüenzavillanotunantepícaromalvado
Antonyms
honradocaballeropersona decente
Related Words
canalladacanallescoruíninfame