favela
English
Etymology
From Portuguese favela.
Noun
favela (plural favelas)
- A slum or shantytown, especially in Brazil
References
- Nine people have been shot dead in Rio de Janeiro during a power struggle for control of one of the city's notorious favelas, or slums. - Nine killed in shootout, The Week, Issue 601, page 8.
- The favela is now the model for most of the world's cities, as vast numbers of people continue to migrate to them in order to survive. Street Art, Foreword, page 8.
Portuguese
favela
Etymology
The slum sense is named after the tree. The first favela was founded by veterans of the War of Canudos on Morro da Providência (Providence Hill). That hill was similar to a hill where a battle took place during the war, which had many favela trees. The name of the tree probably comes ultimately from a diminutive of Latin faba. An alternative and less likely etymology may be favo + -ela [1].
Noun
favela f (plural favelas)
- a species of tree, Cnidoscolus quercifolius, native to northeastern Brazil.
- (Brazil) slum (dilapidated neighborhood)
Synonyms
- (tree) faveleira
- (slum) (Brazil) morro, (Portugal) bairro de lata, (Angola) musseque
Related terms
- favelado
- barraco, cortiço
References
Romansch
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Latin fabella, diminutive of fābula.
Noun
favela f (plural favelas)
Usage notes
Implies a strong emotional attachment. Used almost exclusively to refer to Romansch itself.