luz-em-cu

Portuguese

Alternative forms

  • luze-cu, luzecu, luzencu, luzicu, luzincu

Etymology

Compound of luz (light) +‎ em (in) +‎ cu (ass).

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˌluz.ɐ̃j̃ˈku/

  • Rhymes: -u
  • Hyphenation: luz-‧em-‧cu

Noun

luz-em-cu m (plural luz-em-cus or (prescriptive) luzes-em-cu)

  1. (Portugal) firefly
    Synonyms: vaga-lume, pirilampo, (vulgar) caga-lume
    • 1995, Lídia Jorge, O dia dos prodígios, Leya, →ISBN, page 51:
      Agora todos os pensamentos são amargos sob os ímpetos malcontidos. Nem um luz-em-cu atravessa o quarto.
      Now all thoughts are bitter under the barely restrained impulses. Not even a firefly crosses the room.

Usage notes

Many spelling variations are found in dictionaries, although only luz-em-cu, luze-cu, and luzecu are accepted by the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Further reading