duende

American  

[dwen-de, doo-en-dey] / ˈdwɛn dɛ, duˈɛn deɪ /

noun

Spanish.

• duendes
  plural

1. a goblin; demon; spirit.

2. charm; magnetism.

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duende British  

/ duːˈɛndeɪ /

noun

1. inspiration or passion, esp associated with flamenco

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• duendes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of duende

First recorded in 1685–95 duende for def. 1; 1955–60 duende for def. 2; Spanish, shortened from duen de (casa) “master of (the house)”; duen, variant of dueño “lord, master” (from Latin dominus; see dominate ( def. )) + de de ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

duende duendes

But the duende of flamenco happens — and maybe not by accident — to sound much the same.

From New York Times ● Aug. 30, 2022

The simultaneous fondness for the recurring motifs of speculative fiction and its irreverent mocking of twists and tools that have been done to death are central to this show's duende.

From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2021

This is when my life-long love affair with duende began.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2014

It's duende from the Spanish, chills on the back of your neck, and then the next minute it's gone.

From The Guardian ● May 1, 2010

Sing with me, the duende cries, sing for the black sea that awaits your voice.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

They walked quickly and without a sound, passing long shadows and the ominous snicker of the mischievous duendes who could take your rucksack just as easily as they could steal your memories.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

“I don’t know what duendes are, so I don’t want to be your friend.”

From Filipino Popular Tales by Dean Spruill Fansler