name
Common
Brazil
bruh-ZIHL
Brazil (name) means a large Portuguese-speaking country in South America; capital Brasília. Example: “Brazil is the largest country in South America by both area and population.”
name
1
A large Portuguese-speaking country in South America; capital Brasília.
"Brazil is the largest country in South America by both area and population."
"In February, a young man from an isolated Indigenous tribe in Brazil made brief contact with the outside world before returning to the Amazon rainforest."
— Lex Harvey and Esha Mitra, US tourist arrested after allegedly attempting to contact ‘world’s most isolated’ tribe (2025)
noun
1
A reddish dye, or the hard reddish-brown wood it comes from (brazilwood).
"Brazil wood was once prized in Europe for the rich red dye it produced."
How to use Brazil
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly the country name; less commonly the reddish dyewood that gave the country its name.
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Word forms
- Plural
- brazils
Fill the gap
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_____ is the largest country in South America by both area and population.
Etymology
The country is named after brazilwood, a valuable dyewood exported from the region; the wood's name in turn comes from Portuguese brasa ("ember"), describing its glowing red colour.
Synonyms
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Brasil
Federative Republic of Brazil
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “Brazil” mean?
The word “Brazil” means a large Portuguese-speaking country in South America; capital Brasília. In plain terms, most commonly the country name; less commonly the reddish dyewood that gave the country its name.
How do you pronounce “Brazil”?
“Brazil” is pronounced bruh-ZIHL (/bɹəˈzɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “Brazil” in a sentence?
Here is “Brazil” used in a sentence: “Brazil is the largest country in South America by both area and population.”
What part of speech is “Brazil”?
Depending on how it is used, “Brazil” can be a name and a noun.
Where does the word “Brazil” come from?
The word “Brazil” comes from Portuguese. The country is named after brazilwood, a valuable dyewood exported from the region; the wood's name in turn comes from Portuguese brasa ("ember"), describing its glowing red colour.
Is “Brazil” a common word?
“Brazil” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Brazil” have?
“Brazil” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large Portuguese-speaking country in South America; capital Brasília.
What is the capital of Brazil?
The capital of Brazil is Brasília, a planned city built in the country's interior and inaugurated in 1960. Many people wrongly assume the capital is Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, which are larger and better known internationally, but the seat of government was deliberately moved inland to Brasília.
What language is spoken in Brazil?
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, making it by far the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world. Brazilian Portuguese has its own accent, vocabulary, and spelling that differ somewhat from the European form. Numerous Indigenous languages are also spoken, though Portuguese dominates daily life, media, and education.
What is Brazil known for?
Brazil is famous for football, the vibrant Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, and the vast Amazon rainforest. Landmarks such as the Christ the Redeemer statue and Copacabana beach draw visitors worldwide, while samba and bossa nova define its music. It is also a leading producer of coffee.
What continent is Brazil in?
Brazil is in South America, where it is the largest country by both area and population, covering nearly half the continent. It borders almost every other South American nation and has a long Atlantic coastline to the east. The Amazon basin dominates its northern region.
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