Yguasu
/ɨ.ɰʷaˈsu/noun
A Guarani word and traditional name associated with Iguazu Falls, meaning “great water.”
Did you know?In Guarani, y means “water” and guasu means “large” or “great,” making Yguasu a vivid descriptive name rather than a mysterious invented incantation.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Colonial
Guarani
y
“Water”
Pre-Colonial
Guarani
guasu
“Large, great, or abundant”
Pre-Colonial
Guarani
y guasu
“Great water”
16th Century
Guarani
Yguasu
“Traditional Guarani name applied to the great waterfall and surrounding river region”
16th–17th Century
Spanish
Iguazú
“Spanish colonial spelling of the Guarani name”
Modern English
English
Iguazu
“The established English name for the waterfall, river, and surrounding region”