Formosa
English
editEtymology 1
editFrom Portuguese Formosa, as in Ilha Formosa (literally “Beautiful Island”) and Vila Formosa da Imperatriz (literally “Beautiful Town of the Empress”), from formosa (“beautiful”), from Latin fōrmōsus (“beautiful, well-formed”), from fōrma (“form, shape”) + -ōsus (“-ose: full of”). The Brazilian city is named in honor of the empress Teresa Cristina in the 1840s.
Pronunciation
edit- (UK) IPA(key): /fɔːˈməʊ.sə/
- (US) IPA(key): /fɔɹˈmoʊ.sə/, /fɔɹˈmoʊ.zə/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - Rhymes: -əʊsə
Proper noun
editFormosa
- (dated) Synonym of Taiwan, an island in East Asia.
- 1625, Samuel Purchas, Pvrchas His Pilgrimes[1], volume I, London, →OCLC, page 652:
- Heere we had the higheſt Land of Formoſa, South-eaſt, the neereſt land about eight leagues off, the neather point of it Eaſt by North ten leagues off our depth, fortie ſixe fathomes ozie : the latitude twentie fiue degree twentie minutes. From the high Land of Formoſa, ſtretcheth out a lower Land to the water-ſide, being a white ſandy ſhoare, and ſmooth ſand Hils farther vp the Countrey, much like to the Coaſt of Barbary.
- 1669, John Nievhoff, translated by John Ogilby, An Embassy from the Eaſt-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperour of China[2], London: John Macock, →OCLC, page 16:
- The Iſland Formoſa, or the fair Iſland doth alſo belong to this Province ; as likewiſe the near adjacent Iſland called Teiwan, which the Hollanders poſſeſs, who have built a Fort there called new Zealand.
- 1684, A New and Particular Relation of the Kingdom of Tunquin[3], page 57:
- THE Iſland of Formoſa is about Eighty Leagues in compaſs ; ſo that the Hollanders were never in poſſeſſion of the whole Iſland, but were onely Maſters of four Fortreſſes, and two and fifty Villages, wherein they could number about fourteen or fifteen thouſand Inhabitants.
- 1950 September 1, Harry S. Truman, 3:42 from the start, in MP72-73 Korea and World Peace: President Truman Reports to the People[4], Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives Identifier: 595162:
- We do not want Formosa or any part of Asia for ourselves. We believe that the future of Formosa should be settled peacefully by international action.
- 1960, 56:02 from the start, in Presidential Candidates Debate[5], Richard Nixon (actor), via C-SPAN:
- These two islands are in the area of freedom. The Nationalists have these two islands. We should not force our Nationalist allies to get off of them and give them to the Communists. If we do that, we start a chain reaction, because the Communists aren't after Quemoy and Matsu, they're after Formosa.
- 1963, Dwight Eisenhower, Mandate for Change 1953-1956[6], Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 168:
- The developing scene had ominous aspects. The Chinese Communists were constantly threatening aggressive action against Formosa and the government of Chiang Kai-shek. Ever since World War II, the United States had recognized the strategic necessity of maintaining the integrity of the Western Pacific island chain, including Formosa as one of its principal links. Our readiness to go to the defense of that island, if it were attacked, had been announced as a governmental policy before I was inaugurated, and I had personally emphasized the importance of this island's safety to our nation's security.
- 1968, Norton S. Ginsburg, “FORMOSA”, in Encyclopedia Britannica[7], volume 9, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 627, column 2:
- FORMOSA (TAIWAN) is an island separated from the southeast coast of China by the 121-mi.-wide Formosa strait (T’ai-wan hai-hsia) and one of a great island system rimming the western Pacific ocean.
- 1984, Anton Bilek, “Anton Bilek”, in Studs Terkel, editor, "The Good War": An Oral History of World War Two[8], New York: Pantheon Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 84:
- When our airplanes first took off that morning, the Japs did come in. They hit the city of Baguio in the northern part of Luzon, and then went back to Formosa.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Formosa.
- Synonym of Taiwan, an administrative division including Formosa and nearby islands.
- (historical) A prefecture of Fujian, China (Qing Empire) (1683–1885).
- (historical) A province of China (Qing Empire) (1885–1895).
- 1895, Verbal Discussions During Peace Negotiations Between the Chinese Plenipotentiary, Viceroy Li Hung-chang and the Japanese Plenipotentiaries Count Ito and Viscount Mutsu, at Shimonoseki, Japan[10], →OCLC, page 22, column 1:
- H. E. Li.—We can say in the Treaty "In respect to the province of Formosa, when the Treaty has been ratified and exchanged the two Governments shall draw up the conditions for the transfer."
- 1915, William Campbell, Sketches from Formosa[11], Marshall Brothers Limited, →OCLC, →OL, page 261:
- UNTIL 1895, Formosa formed the nineteenth and only insular province of China, but after coming briefly under a Republican form of government, it became an integral part of the Empire of Japan.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Formosa.
- (historical) A dependency of Japan (1895–1945).
- 1944 October 14, “Planes Over Formosa”, in The Washington Post[12], number 24,957, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 4, column 2:
- Except for the relatively unimportant Ryukyu Islands, which were acquired earlier, Formosa is Japan's oldest colony. She acquired it out of her war with China in 1894, and during recent years was believed to have fortified it heavily.
- (dated) A province of Taiwan (Republic of China) (from 1945).
- 1961 January 28, The Economist[13], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 330, column 2; republished as Current, 1961 March, pages 22-23:
- Economically, the island is already far better off (with massive American aid) than it would be if it were incorporated into Communist China, and it would be better off still (and less of a burden to the American taxpayer) if its people were not required to support two governments and two civil services—one for the Chinese mainland, and the other for the province of Formosa—and an army of more than half a million, whose raison d’étre continues to be the reconquest of the mainland.
- 1963, Sheppard Glass, “Some Aspects of Formosa's Economic Growth”, in Mark Mancall, editor, Formosa Today[14], Frederick A. Praeger, published 1964, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 80:
- Government population policy has for the most part been notable for its absence, and few leading Nationalists have publicly admitted the problem. Indeed, in 1959, in an interview with a western correspondent, Chou Chih-jou, then Governor of Formosa (province), complained that population growth was “ his most serious problem ” but his administration was hamstrung by the stand taken against artificial birth control by the central government in Taipei and the ruling Nationalist party.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Formosa.
- (dated) A claimed province of China (People's Republic of China/mainland China) (from 1949). [from mid 20th c.]
- 1961, Robert P. Newman, “Will China Accept United States Recognition?”, in Recognition of Communist China? A Study in Argument[16], New York: The Macmillan Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 237:
- If we should propose an exchange of ambassadors, Mao Tse-tung would surely ask if our recognition extended to Communist sovereignty over the 'Province of Formosa.'
- 1998, Caspar Weinberger, Peter Schweizer, chapter 5, in The Next War[17] (Current Affairs), Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 52:
- The armed forces of China have struck the rebellious province of Formosa with force. We demand your immediate and unconditional surrender. Failure to comply with this order will warrant further action by our forces.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Formosa.
- A city in Goias, Brazil.
- An island in the Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau.
Derived terms
editDescendants
edit- →⇒ New Latin: Oncomelania hupensis formosana
Etymology 2
editFrom Spanish Formosa, from Vuelta la Formosa and Vuelta Fermosa (“Beautiful Turn”) in reference to a bend in the Paraguay River near the city, from Old Spanish fermosa, from Latin formosa.
Proper noun
editFormosa
- A city in northern Argentina.
- A department of Argentina around the city.
- A province of Argentina around the city.
Translations
editEtymology 3
editBorrowed from Maltese Formosa.
Proper noun
editFormosa (plural Formosas)
- A surname from Maltese.
Statistics
edit- According to the 2010 United States Census, Formosa is the 41234th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 528 individuals. Formosa is most common among White (89.2%) individuals.
Further reading
edit- “Formosa”, in Collins English Dictionary.
- “Formosa, pn.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
- “Formosa”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “Formosa”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
- “Formosa” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.
- Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Formosa”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 590.
Finnish
editEtymology
editFrom Portuguese Ilha Formosa (“Beautiful Island”).
Pronunciation
editProper noun
editFormosa (dated)
Declension
editInflection of Formosa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation) | |||
---|---|---|---|
nominative | Formosa | — | |
genitive | Formosan | — | |
partitive | Formosaa | — | |
illative | Formosaan | — | |
singular | plural | ||
nominative | Formosa | — | |
accusative | nom. | Formosa | — |
gen. | Formosan | ||
genitive | Formosan | — | |
partitive | Formosaa | — | |
inessive | Formosassa | — | |
elative | Formosasta | — | |
illative | Formosaan | — | |
adessive | Formosalla | — | |
ablative | Formosalta | — | |
allative | Formosalle | — | |
essive | Formosana | — | |
translative | Formosaksi | — | |
abessive | Formosatta | — | |
instructive | — | — | |
comitative | See the possessive forms below. |
Possessive forms of Formosa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Derived terms
editLatin
editEtymology
editFrom Portuguese Ilha Formosa (“Beautiful Island”). Equivalent to a clipping of Isla Formosa.
Pronunciation
edit- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /foːrˈmoː.sa/, [foːrˈmoːs̠ä]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /forˈmo.sa/, [forˈmɔːs̬ä]
Proper noun
editFormosa f sg (genitive Formosae); first declension
- (New Latin) Taiwan (an island in East Asia)
- (New Latin) Synonym of Taivania, Taiwan (a country in East Asia)
Declension
editFirst-declension noun, with locative, singular only.
Case | Singular |
---|---|
Nominative | Fōrmōsa |
Genitive | Fōrmōsae |
Dative | Fōrmōsae |
Accusative | Fōrmōsam |
Ablative | Fōrmōsā |
Vocative | Fōrmōsa |
Locative | Fōrmōsae |
Synonyms
edit- (island in East Asia): Taivania
Maltese
editEtymology
edit(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
editProper noun
editFormosa
- a surname
Portuguese
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editClipping of Ilha Formosa, from ilha (“island”) + formosa (“beautiful”).
Pronunciation
edit
Proper noun
editFormosa f
Descendants
editSpanish
editPronunciation
editEtymology 1
editFrom Portuguese Formosa.
Proper noun
editFormosa f
- Taiwan (an island in East Asia)
- Synonym: Ysla Hermosa / Isla Hermosa (obsolete)
- Formosa (a city in Brazil)
- Formosa (an island in Guinea-Bissau)
Etymology 2
editFrom Vuelta la Formosa and Vuelta Fermosa (“Beautiful Turn”) in reference to a bend in the Paraguay River near the city, from Old Spanish fermosa, from Latin formosa.
Proper noun
editFormosa f
- Formosa (a city in Argentina)
- Formosa (a department of Argentina, around the city)
- Formosa (a province of Argentina, around the city)
Derived terms
edit- English terms borrowed from Portuguese
- English terms derived from Portuguese
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/əʊsə
- Rhymes:English/əʊsə/3 syllables
- English lemmas
- English proper nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English dated terms
- en:Islands
- English terms with quotations
- English terms with historical senses
- en:Provinces
- en:Dependent territories
- en:Cities in Brazil
- en:Places in Brazil
- en:Places in Guinea-Bissau
- English terms borrowed from Spanish
- English terms derived from Spanish
- English terms derived from Old Spanish
- en:Cities in Argentina
- en:Places in Argentina
- en:Departments of Argentina
- en:Provinces of Argentina
- English terms borrowed from Maltese
- English terms derived from Maltese
- English surnames
- English surnames from Maltese
- Finnish terms borrowed from Portuguese
- Finnish terms derived from Portuguese
- Finnish 3-syllable words
- Finnish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:Finnish/ormosɑ
- Rhymes:Finnish/ormosɑ/3 syllables
- Finnish lemmas
- Finnish proper nouns
- Finnish dated terms
- fi:Islands
- Finnish koira-type nominals
- Finnish uncountable nouns
- Latin terms borrowed from Portuguese
- Latin terms derived from Portuguese
- Latin 3-syllable words
- Latin terms with IPA pronunciation
- Latin lemmas
- Latin proper nouns
- Latin first declension nouns
- Latin feminine nouns in the first declension
- Latin feminine nouns
- New Latin
- la:Islands
- la:Taiwan
- la:Countries in Asia
- la:Countries
- Maltese lemmas
- Maltese proper nouns
- Maltese surnames
- Portuguese 3-syllable words
- Portuguese terms with IPA pronunciation
- Portuguese terms with homophones
- Portuguese lemmas
- Portuguese proper nouns
- Portuguese feminine nouns
- pt:Islands
- Portuguese clippings
- Spanish 3-syllable words
- Spanish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Spanish terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:Spanish/osa
- Rhymes:Spanish/osa/3 syllables
- Spanish terms borrowed from Portuguese
- Spanish terms derived from Portuguese
- Spanish lemmas
- Spanish proper nouns
- Spanish feminine nouns
- es:Islands
- es:Cities in Brazil
- es:Places in Brazil
- es:Places in Guinea-Bissau
- Spanish terms derived from Old Spanish
- Spanish terms derived from Latin
- es:Cities in Argentina
- es:Places in Argentina
- es:Departments of Argentina
- es:Provinces of Argentina