Portuguese

American  

[pawr-chuh-geez, -gees, pohr-, pawr-chuh-geez, -gees, pohr-] / ˌpɔr tʃəˈgiz, -ˈgis, ˌpoʊr-, ˈpɔr tʃəˌgiz, -ˌgis, ˈpoʊr- /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Portugal, its inhabitants, or their language.

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noun

plural

Portuguese

1. a native or inhabitant of Portugal.

2. a Romance language spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and a few countries of Africa. Pg, Pg.

Portuguese British  

/ ˌpɔːtjʊˈɡiːz /

noun

1. the official language of Portugal, its overseas territories, and Brazil: the native language of approximately 110 million people. It belongs to the Romance group of the Indo-European family and is derived from the Galician dialect of Vulgar Latin

2. a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Portugal

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adjective

1. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of Portugal, its inhabitants, or their language

Other Word Forms

• anti-Portuguese adjectiveanti-Portuguese
• non-Portuguese adjectivenon-Portuguese
• pro-Portuguese adjectivepro-Portuguese

Etymology

Origin of Portuguese

1580–90; < Portuguese português, Spanish portugués; see Portugal, -ese

Example Sentences

Gael García Bernal stars in the director’s epic—full of beautiful, often static imagery—about the Portuguese explorer, now streaming on the Criterion Channel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Everyone is doomed in Mr. Diaz’s account of European colonialism and exploratory naval history—not just the primitive Filipinos and Indonesians but the Portuguese on the mission from their silent God.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Djabi made seven appearances on loan with Portuguese second division side CD Mafra last season and played once this term for Midtjylland in Europa League qualifying.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Lula, 80, who began a European tour last week, was later to meet with Portuguese counterpart Jose Seguro for their first face-to-face talks since Seguro took office in March.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

Large women in bright head scarves sat behind heaps of vegetables outside the Portuguese store.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer