favela

noun

fa·​ve·​la fə-ˈve-lə How to pronounce favela (audio)
variants or less commonly favella
: a settlement of jerry-built shacks lying on the outskirts of a Brazilian city

Examples of favela in a Sentence

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.
Next up for Globo is School Without Walls, a film about a public school in one of Brazil’s biggest favelas directed by Cao Hamburger, that is a co-production of Brazil’s Gullane, Portugal’s Ukbar Filmes and France’s Playtime Group that is also backed by Telecine. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025 The film is both gritty and realistic, like the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, while also being a sweet story with surreal touches. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 June 2025 Eduardo Ferro’s 405 Films has acquired the life rights of Brazilian MMA champion Charles Oliveira, with plans to develop an untitled feature film chronicling the fighter’s journey from the favelas to UFC stardom. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2025 The lineup is heavy on directorial debuts with Kites from Brazil’s Walter-Thompson Hernández set in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, The Scout by Paula Andrea González-Nasser about a location scout in NYC, Westhhampton by Christian Nilsson and Melody Roscher’s Bird In Hand. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for favela

Word History

Etymology

Brazilian Portuguese favela, perhaps from Favela, hill outside Rio de Janeiro

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of favela was in 1946

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Cite this Entry

“Favela.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/favela. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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