Portuguese–English dictionary

megera

A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.

meia

(soccer) A midfield player who specialises more in attacking duties.

meia arrastão

(countable, usually, in the plural) Stockings made of fishnet fabric.

meia dúzia

A set of six.

meia pipa

(Britain) A cask of a certain size; its volume used as a measure of capacity for liquids, containing 63 wine gallons, or about 52+1⁄2 imperial gallons (a half pipe).

meia-boca

Made or repaired in a clumsy or incompetent manner.

meia-bomba

(slang) A partial erection of the penis.

meia-calça

A close-fitting, sheer or non-sheer skin-tight garment worn principally by women and girls that covers the body completely from the waist down, usually including the feet.

meia-final

A competition that narrows a field of contestants (semifinalists) to a set of finalists, for a subsequent final.

meia-luz

The soft, greyish light characteristic of dawn or dusk.

meigo

Affectionate.

meio

A place or state of being that a person or object is best suited to.

meio ambiente

The natural world or ecosystem.

meio social

(specifically) A social environment or setting.

meio-campo

(sports) The middle of the field of play.

meio-dia

(archaic, except, literary) Relating to midday or noon.

meio-fio

(British spelling) .

meio-termo

The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.

meios

The ability and means required to accomplish some task.

meiose

(usually, uncountable, cytology) Cell division of a diploid cell into four haploid cells, which develop to produce gametes.

meirinho

(historical, Norman term) A reeve, (specifically) the chief officer executing the decisions of any English court in the period following the Norman Conquest or executing the decisions of lower courts in the late medieval and early modern period.

mejengra

Any of various brightly-coloured, insectivorous, near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae, especially the European bee-eater, Merops apiaster.

Mekong

A river in southeastern Asia that flows about 4,183 km (2,600 miles) from Tibet to the South China Sea in Vietnam.

melaço

A thick, sweet syrup drained from sugarcane, especially (North America) the still thicker and sweeter syrup produced by boiling down raw molasses.

melada

(uncountable) A sweet, sticky substance deposited on leaves and other plant parts by insects (especially aphids and scale insects) feeding on plant sap, or by fungi.

melancia

A plant of the species Citrullus lanatus, bearing a melon-like fruit.

melancieira

A plant of the species Citrullus lanatus, bearing a melon-like fruit.

melancolia

A gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression.

melancólico

(informal) Depressed, melancholic, sad.

melanina

(biochemistry) Any of a group of naturally occurring dark pigments, especially the pigment found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers.

melanoma

(oncology, disease) A dark-pigmented, usually malignant tumor arising from a melanocyte and occurring most commonly in the skin.

melão

(countable) The large, round to ovoid fruits that have rinds and are of such plants

Melbourne

The capital city of Victoria, Australia and former capital of Australia (1901–1927).

melé

A playing card that features a picture of a joker (that is, a jester) and that may be used as a wild card in some card games.

meleca

(US, Canada, Philippines, slang) A piece of solid or semisolid mucus in or removed from a nostril.

melequento

Soft, sticky and viscous.

melga

Any of various large flies of the suborder Tipulomorpha that have slender bodies and very long legs and that resemble giant mosquitoes.

melhor

Most superior; most favorable.

melhor amiga

An especially close and trusted friend.

melhor amigo

An especially close and trusted friend.

melhor dizendo

(conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) [from 15th c.]

melhora

An improvement.

melhorado

In a version or form that has been improved or made better than some other standard form.

melhoramento

The act of making better.

melhorar

(transitive) To make better, or improve, something perceived to be in a negative condition.

melhores amigas

An especially close and trusted friend.

melhores amigos

An especially close and trusted friend.

melhoria

An improvement.

melindroso

Easily offended and ready to bicker.

Melissa

A en given name.

meloa

Cucumis melo Cantalupensis Group, a cultivar group melon with sweet aromatic orange flesh, including two main types:

melodia

A sequence of notes that makes up a musical phrase.

melódico

Of, relating to, or having melody.

melodioso

Melodious, tuneful.

melodrama

(countable) A drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic.

melões

(usually, in the plural, slang) The breasts.

melolonta

Any of the large European beetles from the genus Melolontha that are destructive to vegetation.

meloso

(figuratively) Excessive, showy sentimentality.

melro

A common true thrush, Turdus merula, found in woods and gardens over much of Eurasia, and introduced elsewhere.

melro-aquático

Any of various small passerine birds of the genus Cinclus that live near fast-flowing streams and feed along the bottom.

melro-d'água

Any of various small passerine birds of the genus Cinclus that live near fast-flowing streams and feed along the bottom.

melro-peixeiro

Any of various small passerine birds of the genus Cinclus that live near fast-flowing streams and feed along the bottom.

membro

An external body part that projects from the body.

memorando

A short note serving as a reminder.

memorável

(of a tune or phrase) Instantly appealing and memorable.

memória

The ability to recall past events; recollection.

memória cache

(computing) A fast temporary storage where recently or frequently used information is stored to avoid having to reload it from a slower storage medium.

memória RAM

(electronics, computing) Acronym of random-access memory.

memorização

The act of committing something to memory or memorizing.

memorizar

To learn by heart, to memorize.

ménage

An instance of sexual activity involving three people.

ménage à trois

An instance of sexual activity involving three people.

menagerie

A collection of live wild animals as an exhibition historically associated with the aristocracy and considered a precursor of modern zoos.

menarca

The onset of menstruation; a girl's first period.

menção

A speaking or noticing of anything, usually in a brief or cursory manner.

menchevique

(now, chiefly, historical) A member of the gradualist or moderate wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party during the years preceding the Russian Revolution, when they split with the Bolsheviks; or a member of a later independent moderate-Marxist party formed in 1917. [from 20th c.]

mencionar

To make a short reference to something.

mendiga

A person who begs.

mendigar

(intransitive) To request the help of someone, often in the form of money.

mendigo

A person who begs.

Menelau

(Greek mythology) The king of Mycenaean Sparta, the husband of Helen of Troy, the brother of Agamemnon, and the leader of the Spartan contingent of the Greek army during the Trojan War.

menestrel

(historical) Originally, an entertainer employed to juggle, play music, sing, tell stories, etc.; a buffoon, a fool, a jester; later, a medieval (especially travelling) entertainer who would recite and sing poetry, often to their own musical accompaniment.

menina

A person considered a product of a place or culture, a member of a tribe or culture, regardless of age.

menina do olho

(anatomy) The hole in the middle of the iris of the eye, through which light passes to be focused on the retina.

menina macha

A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner.

meninada

(informal, especially, with a possessive) A male friend.

meningite

(pathology) Inflammation of the meninges, characterized by headache, neck stiffness and photophobia and also fever, chills, vomiting and myalgia.

meninice

The state or condition of being a boy.

menino

A male child. [from 15th c.]

menir

(archaeology) A single tall standing stone as a monument, especially one dating to prehistoric times.

Meno

A river in southern Germany, flowing from Bavaria to the Rhine.

menopausa

The final menstrual period of a woman after which ovulation no longer occurs.

menor

(legal) A minor.

menorá

A holy candelabrum with seven branches used in the Temple of Jerusalem.

menoridade

The state of being a minor; youth, the period of a person's life prior to reaching adulthood. [from 15th c.]

menos

Used to introduce an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

menos de

Lower than in value, price, rank, concentration, etc.

menos que

Lower than in value, price, rank, concentration, etc.

menosprezar

(transitive) To blame for ills.

menosprezível

Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person). [from 15th c.]

menosprezo

Act of treating with disdain.

mensageiro

A person who delivers messages.

mensagem

A communication, or what is communicated; any concept or information conveyed.

mensagem de texto

(countable) A text message sent using the short message service.

mensal

Occurring every month.

mensalmente

Every month.

menstruação

The periodic discharging of the menses, the flow of blood and cells from the lining of the uterus in unfertilized females of humans and other primates.

menstrual

Of or relating to the menses.

mensual

Occurring every month.

mensura

(music) A musical designation consisting of all notes and or rests delineated by two vertical bars; an equal and regular division of the whole of a composition; a bar. [from 17th c.]

mensuração

The act of measuring.

mensurável

Able to be measured.

menta

The flavoring of the plant, either a sweet, a jelly or sauce.

mental

(relational) Of or relating to the mind or specifically the total emotional and intellectual response of an individual to external reality.

mentalidade

A mindset; a way of thinking; a set of beliefs.

mentalmente

In a mental manner; an idea thought out in one's mind, as opposed to an idea spoken orally.

mente

Used to form adjectives from nouns, the adjectives having the sense of "behaving like, or having a nature typical of what is denoted by the noun" Similar in meaning to -like but most often paired with animate nouns.

mentir

(intransitive) To give false information intentionally with intent to deceive.

mentira

An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.

mentirinha

(informal) A lie, especially one that is more or less inconsequential.

mentirona

(informal) An outrageous or blatant lie.

mentirosa

A person who frequently lies; someone who tells a lie.

mentiroso

A person who frequently lies; someone who tells a lie.

mento

Forming nouns indicating an action, process, or result.

mentol

(organic compound) A cyclic monoterpene alcohol; the major component of the essential oil of peppermint; used in pharmaceutical preparations as an antitussive and antipruritic agent, as a nasal decongestant, and in menthol cigarettes.

mentor

An older person who accompanies other younger people to ensure the propriety of their behaviour, often an older woman accompanying a young woman.

mentora

An older person who accompanies other younger people to ensure the propriety of their behaviour, often an older woman accompanying a young woman.

menu

The details of the food to be served at a banquet; a bill of fare.

meramente

(focus) Without any other reason etc.; only, just, and nothing more. [from 16th c.]

merca

(minced oath) Shit!

mercado

A fair or temporary market, often for charity.

mercado altista

(finance) A stock market where a majority of investors are buying ("bulls"), causing overall stock prices to rise.

mercadologia

(uncountable) The promotion, distribution and selling of a product or service; the work of a marketer; includes market research and advertising.

mercador

A person who traffics in commodities for profit.

mercadoria

(business) Anything movable (a good) that is bought and sold. [from 15th c.]

mercantil

(economics) Concerned with the exchange of goods for profit.

mercantilismo

(historical, economics) The theory that a nation must always have a positive balance of trade, in the manner that a merchant would operate a shop. Typically this model presupposes protectionism.

mercantilista

(economics) One who believes in mercantilism.

mercar

(transitive) To make (products or services) available for sale and promote them.

mercearia

(New Zealand) A corner store, superette or minimart.

Mercedes

Clipping of Mercedes-Benz (“a car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz”).

merceeira

A person who retails groceries (foodstuffs and household items) from a grocery.

merceeiro

A person who retails groceries (foodstuffs and household items) from a grocery.

mercenário

Motivated by personal gain.

merchandising

(originally, US) The promotion of goods for sale in a store, especially through advertising, attractive displays, discounts, etc.; also (generally) , the promotion of any goods or services for sale.

Mércia

(historical) One of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England.

mercúrio

(science, historical) One of the elemental principles formerly thought to be present in all metals. [from 15th c.]

merda

(mildly, vulgar) Expressing anger, irritation, contempt, or disappointment.

merda de

(sometimes, vulgar) Generic intensifier. Fucking; bloody.

merecedor

Meriting, worthy (reward, punishment etc.)