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colmo

last straw

noun KOHL-moh Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Origin: From colmar (to fill to the brim), from Latin cumulare (to heap up).

Also means

height

Usage Note

Colmo is most often encountered in the fixed expressions ¡el colmo! ('the last straw!' or 'the limit!') and para colmo ('to top it all'). As a standalone noun it means the extreme or peak of something (el colmo de la elegancia — the height of elegance). The verb colmar means to fill to overflowing or to fulfil completely (colmar las expectativas).

Examples

"¡Para colmo, perdió las llaves!"

Natural Translation

To top it all, he lost the keys!

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