List of English Words of Portuguese Origin - A-E

A-E

Albacore

from albacor from Arabic بكورة al-bukr (="the young camels")

Albino

from albino, with the same meaning, from Latin albus

Albatross

an alteration of albatroz, under influence of the Latin word albus ("white");

Alcatraz

(="gannet") from Arabic غطاس al-ġaţţās ("the diver")

Amah

from Portuguese ama, nurse, housemaid, from Medieval Latin amma, mother

Anil

from anil, through French, via Arabic النيل al-nili and Persian نیلا nila; ultimately from Sanskrit नीली nili (="indigo).

Auto-da-fé

a judicial 'act' or sentence of the Inquisition from auto da fé (= "act/sentence of faith")

Ayah

Anglo-Indian native nurse, children's governess from Port. aia, originally from Latin avia (grandmother). Etymogically related to English "uncle".

Banana

from Portuguese or Spanish (more probably from Portuguese, as the most widespread Spanish word is plátano); from Portuguese, of African origin; akin to Wolof banäna banana

Baroque

from barroco (adj. = "unshapely")

Breeze

from Portuguese word "brisa"

Boi: from "barroco"

Bossa nova

(= "new trend" or "new wave")

Buccaneer

from Tupi mukém

Cachalot

from Portuguese cachalote (same meaning), probably via Spanish or French. The Portuguese word comes from cachola ("head" or "big head").

Cabbage

Portuguese, cabbage head

Carambola

Portuguese, perhaps from Marathi कराम्बल karambal

Caramel

from caramelo, caramel, from Late Latin calamellus

Caravel

from caravela

Carioca

from Tupi "carioca" (cari = white men, oca = house; house of the white men), via Portuguese carioca (native of Rio de Janeiro)

Carnauba

from carnaúba

Caste

from casta (="class")

Cashew

from caju (a tropical fruit)

Cobra

shortening of cobra-de-capelo, with the same meaning (literally, "snake with a hood").

Coconut

from coco (coconut)

Commando

from comando (="command")

Cougar

from French couguar, from Portuguese suçuarana, perhaps from Tupian sɨwasuarána or Guaraní guaçu ara.

Cow-tree

a tree abundant in a milk-like juice : from árvore, pau de vaca (="tree of cow")

Creole

French créole, from Castilian Spanish criollo, person native to a locality, from Portuguese crioulo, diminutive of cria, ("'person raised in one's house with no blood relation, a servant'"), < Portuguese criar ("'to rear, to raise, to bring up'"), from Latin creare, to beget; < Latin creo ("'to create'"), which came into English via French between 1595 and 1605.

Dodo

According to Encarta Dictionary and Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, "dodo" comes from Portuguese doudo (currently, more often, doido) meaning "fool" or "crazy". The present Portuguese word dodô ("dodo") is of English origin. The Portuguese word doudo or doido may itself be a loanword from Old English (cp. English "dolt").

Embarass

from Portuguese embaraçar (same meaning; also to tangle - string or rope ), from em + baraço (archaic for "rope")

Emu

from ema (="rhea")