Kurupira

Old Tupi

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *kurupir. By surface analysis, kurub (“warty”) +‎ pira (“skin”).

Cognate with Guaraní Kurupi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ku.ɾuˈpi.ɾa]
• Rhymes: -iɾa
• Hyphenation: Ku‧ru‧pi‧ra

Proper noun

Kurupira

1. name of a entity of Tupian mythology that had the feet turned backwards and would kill people wandering in the forests
   • 1618, Antônio de Araújo, chapter VI, in Cateciſmo na Lingoa Braſilica [Catechism in the Brazilian Language], Livro Sexto do Confessionário [… ] (overall work in Old Tupi, Portuguese, and Latin), Lisbon: Pedro Crasbeeck, page 102v:

     28.p.Erecîquîjpe Anhanga, tagoaîba, curupira Iarupari, coipoteõ abáçupe?

     [Eresykyîpe Anhanga, Tagûaíba, Kurupira, Îurupari koîpó te'õ abá supé?]

     Had you summoned Anhanga, Taguaíba, Curupira, Jurupari or the death of someone?

Derived terms

• kurupirara
• kurupireíra

 

Descendants

• Nheengatu: Kurupira
• → Brazilian Portuguese: Curupira

References

• Joseph of Anchieta (1560) [Ao Padre Geral, de São Vicente] (overall work in Portuguese); republished as chapter X, in Júlio Afrânio Peixoto, compiler, Cartas, informações, fragmentos historicos e sermões [Letters, information, historical fragments and sermons] (Cartas jesuiticas; 3), Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira, 1933, page 128: “corupira [Kurupira]”
• Eduardo de Almeida Navarro (2013) “Kurupira”, in Dicionário de tupi antigo: a língua indígena clássica do Brasil [Dictionary of Old Tupi: The Classical Indigenous Language of Brazil] (overall work in Portuguese), São Paulo: Global, →ISBN, page 245, column 1