Pará
/paˈɾa/noun
Pará is a state of northern Brazil, named after the Pará River and associated waterways.
Did you know?Pará comes from a Tupi language term, and related Indigenous water-names helped preserve pre-colonial geography across Brazil’s map.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Colonial Period
Tupi
pará
“River, waterway, or broad body of water”
16th Century
Tupinambá/Tupi
pará
“A major river or expansive water body in the Amazon region”
17th Century
Portuguese
Pará
“Name adopted for the river and surrounding colonial territory”
18th Century
Portuguese
Estado do Pará
“The administrative territory known as the State of Pará”
Modern English
English
Pará
“A state of northern Brazil”
Explore more surprising origins