Porra

English

Etymology

From Portuguese porra, a common expletive.

Noun

Porra (plural Porras)

1. (South Africa, derogatory, offensive) A person of Portuguese heritage, language or descent.
   • 2011, Jacques Strauss, The Dubious Salvation of Jack V., London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN, page 44:

     But it wasn’t like Portugal could become cross with South Africa for interfering with Mozambique because they said they didn’t want it any more, and anyway, there were lots of Portuguese people living in South Africa. You only had to walk into a greengrocer or a corner shop to see that there was almost a village of Porras who lived above it or beside it.

   • 2011, Lauren Liebenberg, The West Rand Jive Cats Boxing Club, London: Virago Press, →ISBN, page 78:

     I was here on time, which was a bloody miracle considering all hell had broken loose at my house, what with Johnny going out looking like a ducktail, and Dad threatening to klap him even if he was seventeen, and Mona bawling because Dad wouldn’t let her go to the social at the Catholic church on account of the Lebs and the Porras and other poor whites, […]

   • 2018, John Hunt, The Boy Who Could Keep A Swan in His Head, Cape Town: Umuzi, →ISBN, page unknown:

     “Porras use fists and feet.” As Mr de Sousa was originally from Lisbon this statement seemed credible enough. He made two fists and assumed a boxing position. “Portuguese kiss.”

Further reading

• “Porra n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, Jonathon Green, 2016–present
• “Porra, n.”, in Dictionary of South African English, Makhanda, Eastern Cape: Dictionary Unit for South African English, 1996–2024.

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Portuguese porra, a common expletive.

Noun

Porra

1. (derogatory, offensive) a person of Portuguese heritage, language or descent