In the urban lexicon means to watch, watch and observe from a car with armored windows.
SYNONYMS FOR Patrulleo
- To watch over, surveillance,
- To observe from an armored car.
ORIGIN OF Patrulleo
The origin of patrulleo can be found in the primary definition of patrol boat in the dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language.
Here it is defined as a ship – light or war vessel – that is equipped with surface armament, and destined for patrolling and surveillance missions, or also an airplane which is destined for patrolling.
It is very possible that the use of this term in the context of urban reggaeton and trap music comes from this primary meaning of patrol, patrolman or patrolling, since it also means surveillance.
It has crept in because of the lifestyle of the genre’s artists, which includes street life, and has become part of today’s urban slang.
Although it is a deformation of the word, it is beginning to creep into the language of young people through music.
The exponents of reggaeton have or invent their own vocabulary, making combinations of Anglo-Saxon words with others in Spanish or by Spanishing certain terms, which is where the famous “Spanglish”comes from.
These words can only be understood by those who listen to this type of music, but seen from that perspective, the representation of the word “patrulleo” to refer to surveillance is not so far-fetched.
CURIOSITIES OF Patrulleo
Another meaning of patrullero refers to the vehicles used by the police to carry out public surveillance aboard their cars.
Don Omar’s song “Dale Don Dale” mentions this word: “…diles que yo ando con mi gato en el patrulleo”.