truncado

Truncado is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese to indicate that something has been cut off or shortened. As an adjective, it translates to “truncated” in English and is used across various fields to describe altered forms, shapes, or data produced by truncation.

Etymology and usage across languages: The word comes from Latin truncare, meaning to cut off. It entered Spanish as truncar and Portuguese as truncado, preserving the sense of removing a part to produce a shorter version. In everyday language, truncado can describe shortened texts, names, or measurements.

Linguistics and word formation: In linguistics, truncation refers to the shortening of a word by omitting syllables or letters. The resulting form can be described as truncado. This usage appears in sociolinguistic and morphological discussions about informal or abbreviated speech.

Geometry and polyhedra: In geometry, truncation is the process of slicing off the vertices of a polyhedron, producing new faces. The solids formed are called truncated polyhedra, and the adjective truncado is used in Spanish to describe such shapes (for example, un tetraedro truncado).

Computing and mathematics: In computing, truncation refers to discarding digits beyond a chosen precision, effectively rounding toward zero. The resulting value is described as truncado. This operation is common in programming, databases, and numerical analysis.

Other notes: Truncado can also appear in context to mean a shortened or abbreviated version of a text, list, or dataset. While usage varies by language and field, the core idea remains the same: removal of a part to yield a shorter form.