Parnaíba Etymology - Origin & History

Parnaíba

/paʁnaˈibɐ/noun

A proper name used for a major river in northeastern Brazil and for the Brazilian city of Parnaíba in Piauí.

Did you know?Parnaíba is an Indigenous-origin hydronym, and its name was later transferred from the river to the nearby Brazilian city.

Etymological Timeline

Pre-colonial period

Old Tupi

“An Indigenous hydronym; the precise original meaning is uncertain.”

16th–17th Century

Portuguese

“Portuguese colonial rendering of the river’s Indigenous name.”

18th Century

Portuguese

“The Parnaíba River, a major northeastern Brazilian waterway.”

18th–19th Century

Portuguese

“A settlement and administrative place-name derived from the river.”

Modern Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese

“The river and the municipality of Parnaíba, in the state of Piauí.”

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