varilla

Varilla is a Spanish noun that designates a slender, elongated rod or bar, usually cylindrical and longer than wide. The word derives from vara with the diminutive suffix -illa, signaling a smaller or finer version of a rod. In everyday use, varilla covers a range of objects that function as supports, connectors, or instruments.

In construction and industry, varilla commonly refers to a steel reinforcing bar, or varilla de acero, used to reinforce concrete. These rods can be corrugated to improve bonding with concrete (varilla corrugada) or threaded for mechanical assemblies (varilla roscada). Other materials, such as aluminum, plastic, or wood, are used for less demanding applications.

In laboratories and science, rods serve as implements for stirring, mixing, or guiding substances. A varilla de vidrio (glass rod) is standard in chemistry labs, while metal or plastic rods may be used in various experimental setups. In medicine and dentistry, specialized rods and probes exist, though terminology varies by country.

In culinary and domestic contexts, varilla can denote skewers for grilling or stirring rods for beverages and syrups. Wooden or metal dowels used in furniture assembly and crafts are also described as varillas in some regions.

Sizes and materials vary widely, from thin rods a few millimeters in diameter to long bars several meters in length. Variants are often described by material and qualifiers such as roscada (threaded) or corrugada (corrugated).

See also: barra, vara, palo.