Mbaracayú
/mba.ɾa.kaˈʝu/noun
A proper name used for a region, mountain range, and protected Atlantic Forest area in eastern Paraguay.
Did you know?The name is generally connected with Guaraní mbarakaja, “cat,” a word that can refer broadly to feline animals rather than specifically to the domestic cat.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Colonial Period
Guaraní
mbarakaja
“Cat or feline animal”
Pre-Colonial Period
Guaraní
y
“Water”
Colonial Period
Guaraní/Spanish
Mbarakaja'y
“A Guaraní place-name combining “cat” with “water””
19th Century
Spanish
Mbaracayú
“Hispanicized spelling of the Guaraní place-name”
Modern English
English
Mbaracayú
“The name of a Paraguayan region, mountain range, and forest reserve”