noun

el despacho

office

Lugar donde una persona trabaja, especialmente en tareas administrativas o profesionales.

Definition & meaning

Despacho is a masculine noun with several related meanings:

Office or workplace: a room or place where someone works, especially a professional such as a lawyer or doctor.
El despacho del abogado means “the lawyer’s office.”
Dispatch or sending out: the act of sending or arranging the delivery of goods, documents, or other items. It can also refer to the handling or completion of official business.
Official office or document: in administrative or legal contexts, it can mean a government office, an official communication, or a formal order.
Small shop: in some Latin American regions, it can refer to a small grocery or general store.

The precise meaning depends on context. For example, despacho means “office” in one context, but “dispatch” or “shop” in others.

Grammar & Word origin

Despacho is a masculine noun: el despacho. Its plural is los despachos.

It is related to the verb despachar , which can mean “to dispatch,” “to handle,” or “to serve.” The noun developed from that verb. Its deeper origin is uncertain.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single synonym that fits all meanings:

For “office”: oficina , a general term for an office; consultorio , usually a professional’s consultation room; gabinete , often a private office or professional room.
For “dispatch”: envío [?](vocabuo://word/envío] or expedición , referring more specifically to sending or shipping something.
For “small shop”: tienda [?](vocabuo://word/tienda] is a broad term for a shop; almacén [?](vocabuo://word/almacén] can mean a store or a warehouse, depending on the region.