Carcamal

Carcamal
 

Hi,

Is it strictly masculine?

According to dictionaries, when used as a noun it is masculine. It may also be used as an adjective. When used as an adjective, its referent (the noun being modified) may be feminine.

For a female, it would be "carcamala", but I've always heard it used for decrepit old men, in a very pejorative tone.

- El carcamal que vive en esa casa tiene muchos perros.
The old geezer in that house has a lot of dogs.
- Estoy tan achacoso, que ya no tengo dudas de ser un viejo carcamal.
I'm so ailing, that I have no doubt I'm really old.
- No hay que hacerle caso al carcamal ese.
There's no need to listen to what that old guy says.