Requiebro is a noun.
/r̺eˈki.βɾo/
In Spanish, requiebro refers to a playful or flirtatious remark, often intended as a compliment or means of courting someone. It is commonly used in contexts related to romance or admiration. The term is somewhat formal and might appear more in literary texts or in spoken Spanish during flirtatious conversations. Its frequency of use can vary, but it tends to be more prevalent in oral speech than in written contexts.
El poeta le hizo un requiebro a la dama en su poema.
The poet made a compliment to the lady in his poem.
A ella le gustan los requiebros, pero no quiere comprometerse.
She likes flirtations, but she doesn't want to commit.
Su requiebro fue tan ingenioso que la hizo reír.
His flirtation was so clever that it made her laugh.
Requiebro is not commonly found in numerous idiomatic expressions, but its essence can be detected in various phrases related to flirtation and romance. Here are a few related examples:
Echar requiebros
To throw compliments/flirtations
Siempre le echa requiebros a sus compañeras de trabajo.
He always throws compliments to his female coworkers.
Hacer un requiebro
To make a flirtatious remark
En la fiesta, hizo un requiebro a la chica que le gustaba.
At the party, he made a flirtatious remark to the girl he liked.
Requiebros de enamorados
Flirtations of lovers
Los requiebros de enamorados llenaron el aire durante el baile.
The flirtations of lovers filled the air during the dance.
The word requiebro derives from the Spanish verb requebrar, which means to flatter or to court. The roots are connected to the Middle Spanish and may have influences from the Latin word requiebrare, which also relates to the concept of bending or breaking back, symbolizing the bending of rules in social interaction during courtship.