pela

See also: Appendix:Variations of "pela"

English

Etymology

From informal romanization of Chinese 白蠟 / 白蜡 (báilà).

Noun

pela (uncountable)

1. Synonym of Chinese wax.
   • 1813, John Mason Good, Olinthus Gilbert Gregory, Pantologia:

     Thus we have the myrtle wax of America extracted from the berries of the myrica cerifera, and the pela of the Chinese.

Anagrams

• Alep, LEAP, Lape, Leap, Peal, e-pal, leap, pale, pale-, peal, plea

Albanian

Noun

pela

1. inflection of pelë:
   1. definite nominative singular
   2. indefinite nominative/accusative plural

Asturian

Etymology

From a contraction of the preposition per (“by means of, by way of”) + feminine singular article la (“the”).

Contraction

pela f (masculine pel, neuter pelo, masculine plural pelos, feminine plural peles)

1. by means of the

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern) [ˈpe̞.lə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Central) [ˈpɛ.lə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈpɛ.la]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Deverbal from pelar.

Noun

pela f (plural peles)

1. debarking
2. peel, rind (of a fruit or vegetable)
3. (colloquial) peseta

Etymology 2

Verb

pela

1. inflection of pelar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Chungli Ao

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɯ˧.la˧/, [pə˧.la˧]

Verb

pela

1. to be happy, rejoice
   • 1967, “Genesis 30:13”, in Ao Naga Common Language Bible, Bible Society of India:

     Ni koda pela-a lir!

     How happy I am!

   • 1967, “1 Samuel 2:1”, in Ao Naga Common Language Bible, Bible Society of India:

     kü mulungjangi Kibuba nung pelar

     my heart rejoices in the Lord

Inflection

Inflection of pela (Chungli)

		Affirmative	Negative
Past	Simple	pela	mepela
	Perfect	pelaogo	mepelaogo
Present	Simple	pelar	mepelar
	Progressive	peladar peladagi	mepeladar mepeladagi
Future/infinitive		pelatsü	mepelatsü
Imperative		pelang	tepela
Present participle		pela-a	mepelai
Conditional		pelara pelarabang	mepelara mepelarabang

Further reading

• Bruhn, Daniel Wayne (2014), A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto-Central Naga‎^[2], Berkeley: University of California, page 97

Estonian

Verb

pela

1. inflection of pelama:
   1. present active indicative connegative
   2. second-person singular present imperative
   3. second-person singular present imperative connegative

French

Verb

pela

1. third-person singular past historic of peler

Anagrams

• Alep, lape, lapé, pale, pâle

Galician

Etymology 1

Perhaps from Vulgar Latin *pilla, from Latin pilula (“pellet”). In that case, cognate with Spanish pella.

Alternative forms

• penla

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛla̝/

Noun

pela f (plural pelas)

1. lump, dollop, mass (of butter, grease, lard)

Etymology 2

Deverbal from pelar (“to skin”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛla̝/

Noun

pela f (plural pelas)

1. peel
2. peeling (of skin)

Etymology 3

From Latin palella (“little shovel”), from pala (“shovel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛla̝/

Noun

pela f (plural pelas)

1. trowel; small shovel
   • 1373, E. Cal Pardo, editor, Colección diplomática medieval do arquivo da catedral de Mondoñedo, Santiago: Consello da Cultura Galega, page 191:

     Item enna cosina hua caldeyra de cobre con seus ferros et hua peella

     Item, in the kitchen a cooper cauldron with its irons [for hanging] and a spatula

2. vanes or blades of a water wheel

Etymology 4

From Latin per + illa.

Contraction

pela f sg (plural pelas, masculine pelo, masculine plural pelos)

2. contraction of por (“by; through”) and a (“the”) (archaic)

Etymology 5

Verb

pela

1. inflection of pelar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “pela”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Barreiro, Xavier Varela; Guinovart, Xavier Gómez (2006–2018), “pela”, in Corpus Xelmírez: corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval [Corpus Xelmírez: linguistic corpus of Medieval Galicia] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “pela”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “pela”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “pela”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpe.la/
• Rhymes: -ela
• Hyphenation: pé‧la

Verb

pela

1. inflection of pelare:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Anagrams

• Pale, alpe, pale

Kituba

Verb

pela

1. to light up

Kongo

Verb

pela

1. to blaze

Lingala

Verb

-pela (infinitive kopela)

1. to light up

Northern Sotho

Noun

pela

1. hyrax

Portuguese

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese pela, from Vulgar Latin *per (“by; through”) + *la (“the”).

Alternative forms

• pla (syncopated)
• pella (obsolete)

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /pe.lɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /pe.lɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /pe.la/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pe.lɐ/, (with syncope) /plɐ/

• Hyphenation: pe‧la

Contraction

pela f sg

2. contraction of per +‎ a, literally “by/through the (feminine singular)”: feminine singular of pelo

   Synonym: pola (archaic)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Alternative forms

• péla (pre-1990 spelling)

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛ.lɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛ.lɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛ.la/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛ.lɐ/

Verb

pela

2. inflection of pelar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Sotho

Noun

pela class 9/10 (plural dipela)

1. hyrax

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpela/ [ˈpe.la]
• Rhymes: -ela
• Syllabification: pe‧la

Etymology 1

Deverbal from pelar.

Noun

pela f (plural pelas)

1. hit, beating

   Coordinate terms: golpe, paliza

2. (Spain, colloquial, historical) one peseta (former currency of Spain)

   Coordinate term: duro

   • 1994, José Ángel Mañas, chapter V, in Historias del Kronen, Barcelona: Ediciones Destino, →ISBN, page 75:

     Y te corto porque no tengo más pelas y estoy en una cabina. Cuelgo.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Etymology 2

Verb

pela

1. inflection of pelar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “pela”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swazi

Verb

-péla

1. to spell

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tswana

Noun

pela (plural dipela)

1. hyrax

Zulu

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

-péla

1. to spell

Inflection

tone H (infinitive ukupela)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukupela	ukungapeli
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	pela	-pele
plural	pelani	-peleni
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyapela, ngipela	engipelayo, engipela	ngipela	angipeli	engingapeli	ngingapeli
2nd singular	uyapela, upela	opelayo, opela	upela	awupeli	ongapeli	ungapeli
1st plural	siyapela, sipela	esipelayo, esipela	sipela	asipeli	esingapeli	singapeli
2nd plural	niyapela, nipela	enipelayo, enipela	nipela	anipeli	eningapeli	ningapeli
class 1	uyapela, upela	opelayo, opela	epela	akapeli	ongapeli	engapeli
class 2	bayapela, bapela	abapelayo, abapela	bepela	abapeli	abangapeli	bengapeli
class 3	uyapela, upela	opelayo, opela	upela	awupeli	ongapeli	ungapeli
class 4	iyapela, ipela	epelayo, epela	ipela	ayipeli	engapeli	ingapeli
class 5	liyapela, lipela	elipelayo, elipela	lipela	alipeli	elingapeli	lingapeli
class 6	ayapela, apela	apelayo, apela	epela	awapeli	angapeli	engapeli
class 7	siyapela, sipela	esipelayo, esipela	sipela	asipeli	esingapeli	singapeli
class 8	ziyapela, zipela	ezipelayo, ezipela	zipela	azipeli	ezingapeli	zingapeli
class 9	iyapela, ipela	epelayo, epela	ipela	ayipeli	engapeli	ingapeli
class 10	ziyapela, zipela	ezipelayo, ezipela	zipela	azipeli	ezingapeli	zingapeli
class 11	luyapela, lupela	olupelayo, olupela	lupela	alupeli	olungapeli	lungapeli
class 14	buyapela, bupela	obupelayo, obupela	bupela	abupeli	obungapeli	bungapeli
class 15	kuyapela, kupela	okupelayo, okupela	kupela	akupeli	okungapeli	kungapeli
class 17	kuyapela, kupela	okupelayo, okupela	kupela	akupeli	okungapeli	kungapeli
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngipelile, ngipelē	engipelile, engipelē	ngipelile, ngipelē	angipelanga	engingapelanga	ngingapelanga
2nd singular	upelile, upelē	opelile, opelē	upelile, upelē	awupelanga	ongapelanga	ungapelanga
1st plural	sipelile, sipelē	esipelile, esipelē	sipelile, sipelē	asipelanga	esingapelanga	singapelanga
2nd plural	nipelile, nipelē	enipelile, enipelē	nipelile, nipelē	anipelanga	eningapelanga	ningapelanga
class 1	upelile, upelē	opelile, opelē	epelile, epelē	akapelanga	ongapelanga	engapelanga
class 2	bapelile, bapelē	abapelile, abapelē	bepelile, bepelē	abapelanga	abangapelanga	bengapelanga
class 3	upelile, upelē	opelile, opelē	upelile, upelē	awupelanga	ongapelanga	ungapelanga
class 4	ipelile, ipelē	epelile, epelē	ipelile, ipelē	ayipelanga	engapelanga	ingapelanga
class 5	lipelile, lipelē	elipelile, elipelē	lipelile, lipelē	alipelanga	elingapelanga	lingapelanga
class 6	apelile, apelē	apelile, apelē	epelile, epelē	awapelanga	angapelanga	engapelanga
class 7	sipelile, sipelē	esipelile, esipelē	sipelile, sipelē	asipelanga	esingapelanga	singapelanga
class 8	zipelile, zipelē	ezipelile, ezipelē	zipelile, zipelē	azipelanga	ezingapelanga	zingapelanga
class 9	ipelile, ipelē	epelile, epelē	ipelile, ipelē	ayipelanga	engapelanga	ingapelanga
class 10	zipelile, zipelē	ezipelile, ezipelē	zipelile, zipelē	azipelanga	ezingapelanga	zingapelanga
class 11	lupelile, lupelē	olupelile, olupelē	lupelile, lupelē	alupelanga	olungapelanga	lungapelanga
class 14	bupelile, bupelē	obupelile, obupelē	bupelile, bupelē	abupelanga	obungapelanga	bungapelanga
class 15	kupelile, kupelē	okupelile, okupelē	kupelile, kupelē	akupelanga	okungapelanga	kungapelanga
class 17	kupelile, kupelē	okupelile, okupelē	kupelile, kupelē	akupelanga	okungapelanga	kungapelanga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngāpela	engāpela	ngāpela	angipelanga	engingapelanga	ngingapelanga
2nd singular	wāpela	owāpela	wāpela	awupelanga	ongapelanga	ungapelanga
1st plural	sāpela	esāpela	sāpela	asipelanga	esingapelanga	singapelanga
2nd plural	nāpela	enāpela	nāpela	anipelanga	eningapelanga	ningapelanga
class 1	wāpela	owāpela	āpela	akapelanga	ongapelanga	engapelanga
class 2	bāpela	abāpela	bāpela	abapelanga	abangapelanga	bengapelanga
class 3	wāpela	owāpela	wāpela	awupelanga	ongapelanga	ungapelanga
class 4	yāpela	eyāpela	yāpela	ayipelanga	engapelanga	ingapelanga
class 5	lāpela	elāpela	lāpela	alipelanga	elingapelanga	lingapelanga
class 6	āpela	āpela	āpela	awapelanga	angapelanga	engapelanga
class 7	sāpela	esāpela	sāpela	asipelanga	esingapelanga	singapelanga
class 8	zāpela	ezāpela	zāpela	azipelanga	ezingapelanga	zingapelanga
class 9	yāpela	eyāpela	yāpela	ayipelanga	engapelanga	ingapelanga
class 10	zāpela	ezāpela	zāpela	azipelanga	ezingapelanga	zingapelanga
class 11	lwāpela	olwāpela	lwāpela	alupelanga	olungapelanga	lungapelanga
class 14	bāpela	obāpela	bāpela	abupelanga	obungapelanga	bungapelanga
class 15	kwāpela	okwāpela	kwāpela	akupelanga	okungapelanga	kungapelanga
class 17	kwāpela	okwāpela	kwāpela	akupelanga	okungapelanga	kungapelanga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngingapela	—	ngingapela	ngingepele	—	ngingepele
2nd singular	ungapela	—	ungapela	ungepele	—	ungepele
1st plural	singapela	—	singapela	singepele	—	singepele
2nd plural	ningapela	—	ningapela	ningepele	—	ningepele
class 1	angapela	—	engapela	angepele	—	engepele
class 2	bangapela	—	bengapela	bangepele	—	bengepele
class 3	ungapela	—	ungapela	ungepele	—	ungepele
class 4	ingapela	—	ingapela	ingepele	—	ingepele
class 5	lingapela	—	lingapela	lingepele	—	lingepele
class 6	angapela	—	engapela	angepele	—	engepele
class 7	singapela	—	singapela	singepele	—	singepele
class 8	zingapela	—	zingapela	zingepele	—	zingepele
class 9	ingapela	—	ingapela	ingepele	—	ingepele
class 10	zingapela	—	zingapela	zingepele	—	zingepele
class 11	lungapela	—	lungapela	lungepele	—	lungepele
class 14	bungapela	—	bungapela	bungepele	—	bungepele
class 15	kungapela	—	kungapela	kungepele	—	kungepele
class 17	kungapela	—	kungapela	kungepele	—	kungepele
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizopela	engizopela	ngizopela	angizupela	engingezupela	ngingezupela
2nd singular	uzopela	ozopela	uzopela	awuzupela	ongezupela	ungezupela
1st plural	sizopela	esizopela	sizopela	asizupela	esingezupela	singezupela
2nd plural	nizopela	enizopela	nizopela	anizupela	eningezupela	ningezupela
class 1	uzopela	ozopela	ezopela	akazupela	ongezupela	engezupela
class 2	bazopela	abazopela	bezopela	abazupela	abangezupela	bengezupela
class 3	uzopela	ozopela	uzopela	awuzupela	ongezupela	ungezupela
class 4	izopela	ezopela	izopela	ayizupela	engezupela	ingezupela
class 5	lizopela	elizopela	lizopela	alizupela	elingezupela	lingezupela
class 6	azopela	azopela	ezopela	awazupela	angezupela	engezupela
class 7	sizopela	esizopela	sizopela	asizupela	esingezupela	singezupela
class 8	zizopela	ezizopela	zizopela	azizupela	ezingezupela	zingezupela
class 9	izopela	ezopela	izopela	ayizupela	engezupela	ingezupela
class 10	zizopela	ezizopela	zizopela	azizupela	ezingezupela	zingezupela
class 11	luzopela	oluzopela	luzopela	aluzupela	olungezupela	lungezupela
class 14	buzopela	obuzopela	buzopela	abuzupela	obungezupela	bungezupela
class 15	kuzopela	okuzopela	kuzopela	akuzupela	okungezupela	kungezupela
class 17	kuzopela	okuzopela	kuzopela	akuzupela	okungezupela	kungezupela
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyopela	engiyopela	ngiyopela	angiyupela	engingeyupela	ngingeyupela
2nd singular	uyopela	oyopela	uyopela	awuyupela	ongeyupela	ungeyupela
1st plural	siyopela	esiyopela	siyopela	asiyupela	esingeyupela	singeyupela
2nd plural	niyopela	eniyopela	niyopela	aniyupela	eningeyupela	ningeyupela
class 1	uyopela	oyopela	eyopela	akayupela	ongeyupela	engeyupela
class 2	bayopela	abayopela	beyopela	abayupela	abangeyupela	bengeyupela
class 3	uyopela	oyopela	uyopela	awuyupela	ongeyupela	ungeyupela
class 4	iyopela	eyopela	iyopela	ayiyupela	engeyupela	ingeyupela
class 5	liyopela	eliyopela	liyopela	aliyupela	elingeyupela	lingeyupela
class 6	ayopela	ayopela	eyopela	awayupela	angeyupela	engeyupela
class 7	siyopela	esiyopela	siyopela	asiyupela	esingeyupela	singeyupela
class 8	ziyopela	eziyopela	ziyopela	aziyupela	ezingeyupela	zingeyupela
class 9	iyopela	eyopela	iyopela	ayiyupela	engeyupela	ingeyupela
class 10	ziyopela	eziyopela	ziyopela	aziyupela	ezingeyupela	zingeyupela
class 11	luyopela	oluyopela	luyopela	aluyupela	olungeyupela	lungeyupela
class 14	buyopela	obuyopela	buyopela	abuyupela	obungeyupela	bungeyupela
class 15	kuyopela	okuyopela	kuyopela	akuyupela	okungeyupela	kungeyupela
class 17	kuyopela	okuyopela	kuyopela	akuyupela	okungeyupela	kungeyupela
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngipele	ngingapeli
2nd singular	upele	ungapeli
1st plural	sipele	singapeli
2nd plural	nipele	ningapeli
class 1	apele	angapeli
class 2	bapele	bangapeli
class 3	upele	ungapeli
class 4	ipele	ingapeli
class 5	lipele	lingapeli
class 6	apele	angapeli
class 7	sipele	singapeli
class 8	zipele	zingapeli
class 9	ipele	ingapeli
class 10	zipele	zingapeli
class 11	lupele	lungapeli
class 14	bupele	bungapeli
class 15	kupele	kungapeli
class 17	kupele	kungapeli
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngapela	ngangapela, angapela, angangapela
2nd singular	wapela	wangapela, awapela, awangapela
1st plural	sapela	sangapela, asapela, asangapela
2nd plural	napela	nangapela, anapela, anangapela
class 1	wapela	wangapela, akapela, akangapela
class 2	bapela	bangapela, abapela, abangapela
class 3	wapela	wangapela, awapela, awangapela
class 4	yapela	yangapela, ayapela, ayangapela
class 5	lapela	langapela, alapela, alangapela
class 6	apela	angapela, awapela, awangapela
class 7	sapela	sangapela, asapela, asangapela
class 8	zapela	zangapela, azapela, azangapela
class 9	yapela	yangapela, ayapela, ayangapela
class 10	zapela	zangapela, azapela, azangapela
class 11	lwapela	lwangapela, alwapela, alwangapela
class 14	bapela	bangapela, abapela, abangapela
class 15	kwapela	kwangapela, akwapela, akwangapela
class 17	kwapela	kwangapela, akwapela, akwangapela