Formosa
/fɔːrˈmoʊzə/noun
An old name for Taiwan, formerly used in English and other European languages.
Did you know?Formosa comes from Portuguese ilha formosa, meaning “beautiful island,” a name early European sailors gave Taiwan when they first saw it.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Portuguese
ilha formosa
“beautiful island”
16th Century
Portuguese
Formosa
“the beautiful one; beautiful island”
17th–19th Century
European languages
Formosa
“the European name for Taiwan”
Modern English
English
Formosa
“an old or literary name for Taiwan”