Tupi

or Tu·pí

[ too-pee, too-pee ]

noun

, plural Tu·pis, (especially collectively) Tu·pi

1. a member of any of several related Indian peoples living in the valleys of various Brazilian rivers, especially the Amazon.
2. the language that was spoken in northern Brazil by the Tupi Indians, now extinct but formerly used as a lingua franca in Brazil during the 16th to 19th centuries.

Tupi

/ tuːˈpiː /

noun

1. -pis-pi a member of a South American Indian people of Brazil and Paraguay
2. the language of this people, belonging to the Tupi-Guarani family

Derived Forms

• Tuˈpian, adjective

Other Words From

• Tu·pi·an adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tupi¹

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

Among the linguistically distinct peoples found in the latter area are the Tupi, Arawaks, and Caribs.

From Project Gutenberg

Afterwards this word was corrupted into Tupi, or Tupin, and Tape.

From Project Gutenberg

Martius1527 has since indicated, in the Tupi language of Brazil, the names pacoba or bacoba.

From Project Gutenberg

Pane gives at least two words which are pure Tupi, and not Arawack.

From Project Gutenberg

There is reason, however, to suppose one of them was the Tupi or lengua geral, of Brazil.

From Project Gutenberg