pirilampo

/pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu/

//pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“pirilampo” is uncommon Portuguese (frequency #77,434 among 3,113 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#77,434
frequency rank, Portuguese
3,113
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - nome comum a várias espécies de coleópteros (das famílias Elateridae, Phengodidae e Lampyridae) que têm a propriedade de emitir bioluminescência, via de regra na fase adulta e eventualmente também ...

Key facts for pirilampo
PropertyValue
Headwordpirilampo
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu/
Letters9
Frequency rank#77,434
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pirilampo” sits in Portuguese frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). pirilampo lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

pirilampo is uncommon Portuguese at frequency #77,434 among 3,113 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for pirilampo, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable Portuguese rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct Portuguese form is pirilampo, spelled P-I-R-I-L-A-M-P-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    nome comum a várias espécies de coleópteros (das famílias Elateridae, Phengodidae e Lampyridae) que têm a propriedade de emitir bioluminescência, via de regra na fase adulta e eventualmente também na fase larval, por meio de órgãos especiais onde a luciferina é oxidada pelo oxigênio nuclear com mediação da enzima luciferase, resultando em oxiluciferina e que, assim, emite luz
  2. 2
    toda luz ou foco fosforescente que faz lembrar a emitida pelo inseto
  3. 3
    fogo de artifício de pequeno efeito
  4. 4
    sinal luminoso que encima veículos com prioridade no trânsito a indicar urgência ou atenção aos demais motoristas e transeuntes

Synonyms

abre-cuarincucaga-lumefere-lumedjamburerélampíridelampíriolampirolumeeirolumieiroluze-culuze-luzeluzinculuzilumemosca-de-fogonoctiluzpiríforasalta-martimuauávaga-lumegiroflex

This word in other languages

firefly(English)luciérnaga(Español)lampyre(Français)Glühwürmchen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Portuguese corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "pirilampo"?
"pirilampo" is spelled P-I-R-I-L-A-M-P-O. The IPA pronunciation is /pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu/.
What does "pirilampo" mean?
As a noun, "pirilampo" means: nome comum a várias espécies de coleópteros (das famílias Elateridae, Phengodidae e Lampyridae) que têm a propriedade de emitir bioluminescência, via de regra na fase adulta e eventualmente também ...
How do you pronounce "pirilampo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pirilampo" is /pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "pirilampo" come from?
"pirilampo" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “pirilampo”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is P-I-R-I-L-A-M-P-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pi.ɾi.ˈlɐ̃.pu/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words

Other uncommon Portuguese words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list