Teles Pires
/ˈtɛlɪs ˈpiːrəs/noun
A major river in Brazil, forming part of the Tapajós River system.
Did you know?Pires is a Portuguese patronymic surname derived from Pero, the medieval Portuguese form of Peter, whose ancient Greek root means “rock.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*þeudō
“People or nation; a possible ancient element connected with the Germanic personal-name tradition behind Telo, though the precise ancestry of Teles is debated.”
Late Antiquity
Germanic
Telo
“A personal name used in medieval Germanic naming traditions; its exact original meaning is uncertain.”
Medieval Portuguese
Portuguese
Teles
“A patronymic surname meaning “child or descendant of Telo.””
Ancient Greek
Greek
Pétros
“Rock or stone; the name given to the apostle Peter.”
Medieval Portuguese
Portuguese
Pires
“A patronymic surname meaning “child or descendant of Pero,” with Pero being the medieval Portuguese form of Peter.”
18th–19th Century
Brazilian Portuguese
Teles Pires
“A Portuguese personal name used for the river now known as the Teles Pires, a tributary of the Tapajós in Brazil.”