Meanings
nouncandiru (plural candirus)
plural candirus · alternative candirú
- A small parasitic catfish, Vandellia cirrhosa, native to the Amazon river, rumored to swim up male urethras.
Synonyms: canero, cañero, toothpick fish, vampire fish
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA small parasitic catfish, Vandellia cirrhosa, native to the Amazon river, rumored to swim up male urethras.
Similar
canerocañerotoothpick fishvampire fish
Origin
- Nheengatukandirú
- Brazilian Portuguesecandiru
- Englishcandiru
Borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese candiru, from Nheengatu kandirú.
More words from Brazilian Portuguese, Nheengatu
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish loismonni
- loismonniVandellia cirrhosa
Portuguese candiru
- candiruVandellia cirrhosa
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
candiru. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/candiru
MLA
“candiru.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/candiru. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “candiru,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/candiru.
Source: candiru on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.