limão

See also: lìmào and lǐmào

Portuguese

A lemon (left) and a lime. (right)

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic لَيْمُون (laymūn) via Andalusian Arabic, from Persian لیمو (limu), لیمون (limun).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /liˈmɐ̃w̃/ [liˈmɐ̃ʊ̯̃]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /liˈmɐ̃w̃/

• Hyphenation: li‧mão

Noun

limão m (plural limões)

1. lemon (citrus fruit)

   Synonym: limão-siciliano

2. (Brazil) lime (citrus fruit)

   Synonym: lima

3. (South Brazil) lemandarin, rangpur

Usage notes

• In Brazil, unless otherwise specified, the variants key lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia) and persian lime (Citrus × latifolia) are assumed. In southern regions, lemandarin (Citrus × limonia) may be assumed as well.
• Brazilians also consider a lemon (Citrus limon) to be a limão, but of a very specific kind.
• Non-Brazilians distinguish lime from limão.

Related terms

• limoeiro

Descendants

• Swahili: limau

Further reading

• limão on the Portuguese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^pt