Showing posts with label Portuguese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portuguese. Show all posts

Wednesday, 4 March 2026

When you hear 'anchovy' are you hearing English or Portuguese?

'Anchovy' is a word borrowed from Portuguese 'anchova'. The word entered the English language some time around 1595.


anchovy [noun] [1595]
Any of a family (Engraulidae) of small fishes resembling herrings that includes several (as ) that are important food f...
See 'anchovy' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Portuguese.

Etymology: Spanish 'anchova'
See more loan words from 1500s.


Monday, 6 November 2023

Is 'bossa nova' English, or is it actually Portuguese?

'Bossa nova' is a word borrowed from Portuguese 'bossa nova'. The word entered the English language some time around 1962.


bossa nova [noun] [1962]
  • popular music of Brazilian origin that is rhythmically related to the samba but with complex harmonies and improvised j...
  • a dance performed to bossa nova music
See 'bossa nova' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Portuguese.

Etymology: Portuguese, literally, new trend
See more loan words from 1960s.


Is 'marmalade' English, or is it actually Portuguese?

'Marmalade' is a word borrowed from Portuguese 'marmelada'. The word entered the English language some time around 1676.


marmalade [noun] [circa 1676]
A clear sweetened jelly in which pieces of fruit and fruit rind are suspended
See 'marmalade' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Portuguese.

Etymology: Middle English 'marmelat' quince conserve, Portuguese 'marmelada' from 'marmelo' quince, from Latin 'melimelum' a sweet apple, from Greek 'melimēlon' from 'meli' honey + 'mēlon' apple
See more loan words from 1600s.


Monday, 7 August 2023

Did you know that 'palaver' is actually Portuguese?

'Palaver' is a word borrowed from Portuguese 'palavra'. The word entered the English language some time around 1735.


palaver [noun] [1735]
  • a long parley usually between persons of different cultures or levels of sophistication
  • conference
  • idle talk
  • misleading or beguiling speech
See 'palaver' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Portuguese.

Etymology: Portuguese 'palavra' word, speech, from Late Latin 'parabola' parable, speech
See more loan words from 1700s.


Saturday, 12 November 2022

Is 'tomato' English, or is it actually Portuguese?

'Tomato' is a word borrowed from Portuguese 'tomate'. The word entered the English language some time around 1604.


tomato [noun] [1604]
  • the usually large rounded typically red or yellow pulpy berry of an herb (genus ) of the nightshade family native to So...
  • a plant that produces
  • one ( syn. ) that is a tender perennial widely cultivated as an annual for its edible fruit
See 'tomato' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Portuguese.

Etymology: Alteration of earlier 'tomate' from Spanish, from Nahuatl 'tomatl'
See more loan words from 1600s.


Friday, 11 November 2022

How the Portuguese language influenced English with the word 'Madeira'

'Madeira' is a word borrowed from Portuguese 'Madeira'. The word entered the English language some time around 1596.


Madeira [noun] [1596]
  • an amber-colored fortified wine from Madeira
  • a similar wine made elsewhere
See 'Madeira' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Portuguese.

Etymology: Portuguese, from 'Madeira' Islands
See more loan words from 1500s.