Community

Your word isn't here yet

Join Hablaaa and add the expression no one else has documented.

/Sounds like "bah" (as in "bar") + "tah" (as in "tar") + "KLAH" (as in "clap") + "nah" (as in "nacho")/

Meaning

A pejorative term in Peru and Argentina for a woman who dresses or acts in a very flashy, over-the-top, or revealing way to draw attention. The word comes from old vaudeville-style revue theater (the "bataclan"), where performers wore scanty costumes, and it spread into everyday speech as a put-down.

Examples

She showed up dressed like a showgirl at the party and everyone stared.

Don't go out dressed like that, people will talk.

Word family
Regional synonyms

/Sounds like "bah" (as in "bar") + "tah" (as in "tar") + "KLAH" (as in "clap") + "nah" (as in "nacho")/

Meaning

A showgirl, nightclub dancer, or vedette. In Peru and Argentina it is used, often in a derogatory way, to describe a woman who dresses provocatively or tries too hard to get attention. The word originally referred to performers in cabaret style variety shows.

Examples

She showed up to the party dressed like a showgirl and everyone was staring.

The showgirls from Peruvian TV are always on the gossip shows.

Regional synonyms
Bandera de México
Teibolera

Showing 2 definitions, sorted by votes

Doing the absolute bare minimum at work without formally quitting: showing up, checking the boxes, and nothing more. The term, borrowed from English, became widespread after the pandemic as a response to burnout, toxic workplaces, and the realization that overdelivering for no reward was a losing game.