The word colilla is a noun.
The phonetic transcription of colilla using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is /koˈli.ʝa/.
In Spanish, colilla primarily refers to the small remnant or end piece of a cigarette after it has been smoked, commonly known as a cigarette butt. This term is frequently used in everyday conversations, especially in contexts relating to smoking. Additionally, colilla can indicate the tail or ending portion of something in a figurative sense, such as the tail of a ticket or a document.
The word is used in both oral and written contexts, but it tends to appear more frequently in spoken language, especially when discussing smoking habits or littering issues.
Don't throw the cigarette butt on the ground; it is very harmful to the environment.
Ella siempre guarda la colilla de sus cigarrillos en un cenicero.
She always keeps her cigarette butts in an ashtray.
La colilla que dejó en la mesa se cayó al suelo sin que se diera cuenta.
Although colilla is not primarily featured in many idiomatic expressions, its usage can sometimes be seen in phrases related to smoking, waste management, or figurative contexts.
"Don't leave cigarette butts wherever you go."
"Recogí la colilla de mi carta familiar."
"I picked up the tail of my family letter." (Referring to the end portion of the letter.)
"Las colillas pueden ser un gran problema en las calles."
The word colilla comes from the diminutive form of cola, which means tail. The term entered the Spanish language to refer to the "little tail" or end part, particularly in the context of cigarettes.
In summary, colilla encompasses its meanings primarily within the contexts of smoking and remnants, bearing both practical and figurative significance in the Spanish language.