Portuguese

noun

Por·​tu·​guese ˈpȯr-chə-ˌgēz How to pronounce Portuguese (audio)
-ˌgēs;
ˌpȯr-chə-ˈgēz,
-ˈgēs How to pronounce Portuguese (audio)
plural Portuguese
1
a
: a native or inhabitant of Portugal
b
: one who is of Portuguese descent
2
: the Romance language of Portugal and Brazil
Portuguese adjective

Examples of Portuguese in a Sentence

She is teaching her son Portuguese. the customs of the Portuguese
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Botafogo has a win and a draw since the Club World Cup, and it’s been a solid start at the helm for Ancelotti, who has displayed incredible Portuguese in recent press conferences despite just picking up the language. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025 Billie has a big reaction when Stephens asks him questions in Portuguese. Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 On the 11-track album, Amarante sings both in his native language Portuguese and in English. Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025 What languages does Pope Leo XIV speak? Leo XIV speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, according to the National Catholic Reporter. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Portuguese

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese português, adjective & noun, from Portugal

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Portuguese was in 1534

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portuguese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Portuguese. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Portuguese

noun
Por·​tu·​guese ˈpōr-chə-ˌgēz How to pronounce Portuguese (audio) ˈpȯr- How to pronounce Portuguese (audio)
-ˌgēs;
ˌpōr-chə-ˈgēz,
ˌpȯr-,
-ˈgēs
plural Portuguese
1
: a person born or living in Portugal
2
: the language of Portugal and Brazil
Portuguese adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!