# esponja
## Catalan
### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central, Balearic) [əsˈpɔɲ.ʒə]
* IPA: (Valencia) [esˈpɔɲ.d͡ʒa]

### Etymology 1

From Latin spongia, from Ancient Greek σπογγιά (spongiá).

#### Noun

esponja f (plural esponges)
* sponge
* (in the plural) dishcloth gourd (Luffa acutangula)
    Synonyms: dringi de l'Índia, fregall de Cuba

##### Derived terms

* esponger
* espongera
* espongiforme
* espongina
* esponja de bany
* esponja vegetal
* esponjar
* esponjat
* esponjós

### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Verb

esponja
* inflection of esponjar:
** third-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

### Further reading

* “esponja” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

## Galician
### Noun

esponja f (plural esponjas, reintegrationist norm)
* reintegrationist spelling of esponxa

### Further reading

* “esponja” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).

## Portuguese
### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /isˈpõ.ʒɐ/, /esˈpõ.ʒɐ/
* (Brazil) IPA: /isˈpõ.ʒɐ/, /esˈpõ.ʒɐ/
** (Rio de Janeiro) IPA: /iʃˈpõ.ʒɐ/, /eʃˈpõ.ʒɐ/
** (Southern Brazil) IPA: /esˈpõ.ʒa/
* (Portugal) IPA: /(i)ʃˈpõ.ʒɐ/
* Rhymes: -õʒɐ
* Hyphenation: es‧pon‧ja

### Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese esponsa, borrowed from Latin spongia, borrowed from Ancient Greek σπογγιά (spongiá), from σπόγγος (spóngos) + -ιά (-iá). Doublet of espúndia and fungo.

#### Noun

esponja f (plural esponjas)
* sponge (aquatic invertebrate of the phylum Porifera)
    Synonyms: esponja-do-mar, porífero
* sponge (piece of porous material used for washing)
* (figurative) sponge (heavy drinker)

##### Related terms

* espongina
* esponja contraceptiva
* esponja de aço
* esponja de banho
* esponja-de-água-doce
* esponja-de-raiz
* esponja-do-mar
* esponja-do-mato
* esponjar
* esponjinha
* esponjoso

##### Descendants

* → Hunsrik: Esponja

#### Further reading

* “esponja” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
* “esponja”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
* “esponja”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form..

#### Verb

esponja
* inflection of esponjar:
** third-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

## Spanish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /esˈponxa/ [esˈpõŋ.xa]
* Rhymes: -onxa
* Syllabification: es‧pon‧ja

### Etymology 1

Semi-learned descendant of Latin spongia, from Ancient Greek σπογγιά (spongiá), a later form of σπόγγος (spóngos, “sponge”) (compare Latin fungus). Probably a doublet of espundia. Cognate with English sponge.

#### Noun

esponja f (plural esponjas)
* sponge (marine invertebrate)
    Synonyms: espongiario, porífero
* sponge (piece of porous material for washing)
* sponge (porous material of sponges)
* sponge, moocher

##### Derived terms

* esponjar (verb)
* esponjoso
* esponjuelo

##### See also

* (piece for washing): estropajo, zacate

### Etymology 2
#### Verb

esponja
* inflection of esponjar:
** third-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

### References

* ↑ Joan Coromines, José A[ntonio] Pascual (1983–1991) “esponja”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critic Castilian and Hispanic Etymological Dictionary] (in Spanish), Madrid: Gredos

### Further reading

* “esponja”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

### Anagrams

* japonés