Noun
/kabeθo/ (in Spain) or /kabezo/ (in Latin America)
The word "cabezo" can refer to different concepts depending on the context. In general usage, it often means "head" or "hillock." In nautical terms, it can refer to a particular kind of elevation or protrusion. The frequency of the term varies; "cabezo" is somewhat less common in everyday conversation, though still encountered in written texts, especially within specific contexts like geography or sailing.
El cabezo del monte era visible desde lejos.
The head of the mountain was visible from afar.
Los marineros se referían al cabezo como su punto de referencia en el mar.
The sailors referred to the clump as their reference point at sea.
While "cabezo" is not extremely common in idiomatic expressions, it does appear in certain phrases that denote a physical or metaphorical aspect of 'head' or terming a prominent feature. Here are examples of expressions:
Tener un cabezo de acero.
To have a head of steel.
Meaning: To be very stubborn or strong-willed.
Dar cabezazos.
To give headbutts.
Meaning: To either act stubbornly or physically impose one's inability to relent.
A lo cabezo.
In a rough or clumsy way.
Meaning: To do something without finesse, often violently.
Siempre que no quiere escuchar, tiene un cabezo de acero.
Whenever he doesn’t want to listen, he has a head of steel.
Cuando entró a la habitación, empezó a dar cabezazos contra la puerta.
When he entered the room, he started giving headbutts against the door.
No seas tan cabezón, escúchame una vez.
Don’t be so stubborn, listen to me just this once.
The term "cabezo" comes from the Latin "capitia," which is a diminutive form of "caput," meaning "head." The evolution of the word reflects its transition from a physical description of a head to its more metaphorical and geographical uses.