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/Sounds like "EHL" (as in "egg") + "MAH" (as in "mark") + "loh" (as in "loan") + "DEH" (as in "debt") + "LAH" (as in "lava") + "peh" (as in "pet") + "LEE" (as in "lead") + "koo" (as in "cool") + "lah" (as in "lava")/

Meaning

The person everyone blames when something goes wrong, the narrative scapegoat of any group conflict. Across Latin America and Spain, ser el malo de la pelicula means being cast as the villain of the story, sometimes just for telling the truth nobody wanted to hear.

Examples

They made me the bad guy just for saying the truth nobody wanted to hear.

There is always someone who ends up cast as the villain without even trying.

Regional synonyms

Spoiled, decomposed food that has gone bad and cannot be saved. In Ecuador and Peru, abombado is the word for that moment you open the fridge and something clearly turned: the smell hits you first, then the texture confirms it. Do not eat it.