bozal

== English == === Etymology === From Spanish bozal (“recently-imported slave; noseband”). Doublet of bossale and bosal. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /boʊˈzæl/, /boʊˈsæl/ === Noun === bozal (plural bozals) (historical) A (black) slave recently brought to a (European, especially Spanish) colony from Africa. (uncommon) Alternative form of bosal (“noseband on a horse”). ==== Synonyms ==== salt water slave, bossale (slave born in Africa, especially in a French colony) === Adjective === bozal (not comparable) (historical) Of a slave, recently brought to a colony from Africa. === See also === creole, Creole Ladino === References === == Spanish == === Etymology === From bozo (“muzzle”) +‎ -al, from Medieval Latin *buccĕus (“relating or belonging to the mouth”). See bucca for more. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /boˈθal/ [boˈθal] (Spain) IPA(key): /boˈsal/ [boˈsal] (Latin America, Philippines) Rhymes: -al Syllabification: bo‧zal === Noun === bozal m (plural bozales) a muzzle; device to stop an animal from biting a noseband, usually on a horse bridle or halter a bozal or bossale === Adjective === bozal m or f (masculine and feminine plural bozales) wild, untamed (historical) (of a black slave) recently-arrived (in a colony), having been born in Africa ignorant, simpleminded ==== Related terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Portuguese: boçal === Further reading === “bozal”, 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