Paraná
/ˌpær.əˈnɑː/noun
A major river in South America that flows through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina.
Did you know?The name 'Paraná' comes from the Tupi language, meaning 'like the sea', evoking the river’s vastness and its historical significance as a mystical boundary between worlds.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Tupi
Tupi
paraná
“large body of water; sea or ocean.”
16th Century
Portuguese
Paraná
“adopted from indigenous languages to refer to the river.”
17th Century
Spanish
Paraná
“used in cartography and exploration to designate the river.”
Modern Era
English
Paraná
“established as the name of the river in English geography.”