Iguassu
/ˌɪɡwəˈsuː/noun
An English variant spelling of Iguaçu, especially referring to the Iguassu Falls on the Brazil–Argentina border.
Did you know?Iguassu comes from Tupi-Guarani elements meaning “water” and “large,” while the double-s spelling is an older Portuguese-influenced spelling of Iguaçu.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Tupi-Guarani
Proto-Tupi-Guarani
*y + *wasu
“Reconstructed elements meaning “water” and “large” or “great.””
Old Tupi
Old Tupi
y-gûasu
““Great water,” a compound describing a large body or flow of water.”
Colonial period
Tupi/Portuguese
Iguaçu
“The Tupi-derived place-name adopted into Portuguese spelling.”
19th–20th Century
Portuguese
Iguaçu / Iguassu
“Names used for the river and waterfalls; Iguassu reflects an older or alternate romanization.”
Modern English
English
Iguassu
“An English variant, especially in the name Iguassu Falls.”