puntillero

[ poon-tee-air-oh; Spanish poon-tee-lye-raw, -ye- ]

noun

, plural pun·til·le·ros [poon-tee-, air, -ohz, poon-tee-, lye, -, r, aws, -, ye, -].

1. (in bullfighting) a worker, or assistant, who gives the coup de grâce to the fallen bull with a puntilla.

Word History and Origins

Origin of puntillero¹

1905–10; < Spanish, equivalent to puntill ( a ) puntilla + -ero < Latin -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

The puntillero came up eager to finish him and get the maestro out of his embarrassing position.

From Project Gutenberg