patatús

Spanish

Etymology

From pata (“foot”) + tús (possibly an onomatopoeia imitating the thump made by someone falling onto the ground). Some have proposed it that it may have come from French patapouf (“splat!”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /pataˈtus/ [pa.t̪aˈt̪us]
  • Rhymes: -us
  • Syllabification: pa‧ta‧tús

Noun

patatús m (plural patatuses)

  1. (colloquial) faint (act of fainting), swoon
    Cuando vi la factura de la luz, ¡casi me daba un patatús!
    When I saw the electricity bill, I almost fainted!
    Synonyms: desmayo, chungo
  2. (colloquial) heart attack; fit
    • 2014, Gutiérrez Flores Gutiérrez, Por una cabeza, page 74:
      Con que salgo de la cama y me encuentro á usted tenido en esa silla a la larga, porque le dió un patatús...
      I got out of bed and I found you clinged onto that chair, for you had suffered a heart attack...
    ¡Que triste! Según su hijo, le dio un patatús mientras dormía.
    How sad! According to his son, he suffered a heart attack in his sleep.
    Synonym: ataque al corazón

Further reading
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