capoeira

English

WOTD – 18 December 2006

Etymology

From Brazilian Portuguese capoeira, of uncertain etymology.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kæpəˈweəɹə/, /kæpəʊˈeəɹə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kɑpəˈwɛɹə/, /kɑpˈwɛɹə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

capoeira (countable and uncountable, plural capoeiras)

1. (uncountable) A martial art developed in Brazil, involving complex acrobatic maneuvers and flowing movements.
2. (countable) A practitioner of this martial art.

Derived terms

• capoeirista

Translations

the martial art developed in Brazil

• Czech: capoeira f
• Dutch: capoeira (nl)
• Japanese: カポエイラ (kapoeira)
• Lithuanian: kapueira f
• Polish: capoeira (pl) f
• Portuguese: capoeira (pt) f
• Russian: капоэ́йра (ru) (kapoéjra)
• Spanish: capoeira (es) f
• Swedish: capoeira (sv)
• Ukrainian: капое́йра (uk) f (kapoéjra)

Basque

Etymology

From Portuguese capoeira.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kapoei̯ɾa/ [ka.po.ei̯.ɾa]
• Rhymes: -ei̯ɾa, -a
• Hyphenation: ca‧po‧ei‧ra

Noun

capoeira inan

1. capoeira

Declension

Declension of capoeira (inanimate, singular only, ending in -a)

	indefinite	singular
absolutive	capoeira	capoeira
ergative	—	capoeirak
dative	—	capoeirari
genitive	—	capoeiraren
comitative	—	capoeirarekin
causative	—	capoeirarengatik
benefactive	—	capoeirarentzat
instrumental	capoeiraz	capoeiraz
inessive	—	capoeiran
locative	—	—
allative	—	—
terminative	—	—
directive	—	—
destinative	—	—
ablative	—	—
partitive	capoeirarik	—
prolative	capoeiratzat	—

Further reading

• “capoeira”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]

Czech

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Brazilian Portuguese capoeira.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkapuɛra]
• IPA^(key): [ˈkapuɛjra]
• Rhymes: -ɛra
• Hyphenation: ca‧po‧ei‧ra

Noun

capoeira f

1. capoeira

Declension

Declension of capoeira (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	capoeira	capoeiry
genitive	capoeiry	capoeir
dative	capoeiře	capoeirám
accusative	capoeiru	capoeiry
vocative	capoeiro	capoeiry
locative	capoeiře	capoeirách
instrumental	capoeirou	capoeirami

Derived terms

• capoeirista m anim

Further reading

• “capoeira” in Akademický slovník současné češtiny, 2012–2025, slovnikcestiny.cz
• “capoeira”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese capoeira. Doublet of kapoeweri.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaːpuˈeːraː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ca‧po‧ei‧ra

Noun

capoeira f (uncountable)

1. capoeira

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese capoeira.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.pwɛ.ʁa/ ~ /ka.pwe.ʁa/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

capoeira f (uncountable)

1. capoeira

Galician

Etymology

Attested since 1707. From capón +‎ -eira.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɑpoˈejɾɐ], [kɑpʊˈejɾɐ]

Noun

capoeira f (plural capoeiras)

1. coop for fattening the capons, which was usually kept inside the house
2. flat surface over the oven, where this coop used to be
   • 1889, Xulio Alonso Sánchez, O Chufón:

     O xastre sentouse na capoeira, que por tras do caldeiro estaba, picou un cigarro, poñendo mentras o debullaba entre as maus, o papel no labeo, namentras que o patrón botaba un angazo de toxos no lume.

     the tailor sat down on the oven's stone, which was behind the cauldron, and prepared a cigarette putting, while handling it, the paper on the lip, whilst the head of household was throwing a bunch of furzes into the fire

3. henhouse, coop

   Synonyms: galiñeiro, poleiro

   • 1707, Salvador Francisco Roel, Entremés ao real e feliz parto da nosa raíña:

     E pois eu tamén lle ofrezo
     duas ducias de regeyfas,
     seis moletes, dèz galiñas,
     que teño na capoeyra,
     e mais vn par de capòs
     que m'àn de dar quintafeyra.

     And so also I offer her
     two dozens loaves,
     six muffins, ten hens that
     I have in the coop
     and a pair of capons
     they'll give me Thursday

Related terms

• capón

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “capoeira”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “capoeira”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “capoeira”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Polish

Alternative forms

• kapoeira (rare)

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Brazilian Portuguese capoeira.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.puˈɛj.ra/, /ka.pɔˈɛj.ra/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛjra
• Syllabification: ca‧po‧ei‧ra

Noun

capoeira f

1. capoeira (martial art developed in Brazil, involving complex acrobatic maneuvers and flowing movements)

Declension

Declension of capoeira

	singular
nominative	capoeira
genitive	capoeiry
dative	capoeirze
accusative	capoeirę
instrumental	capoeirą
locative	capoeirze
vocative	capoeiro

Further reading

• capoeira in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• capoeira in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• capoeira in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

capoeira (1)

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ka.poˈe(j).ɾɐ/ [ka.poˈe(ɪ̯).ɾɐ], /ka.puˈe(j).ɾɐ/ [ka.pʊˈe(ɪ̯).ɾɐ], (faster pronunciation) /kaˈpwe(j).ɾɐ/ [kaˈpwe(ɪ̯).ɾɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ka.poˈe(j).ɾɐ/ [ka.poˈe(ɪ̯).ɾɐ], /ka.puˈe(j).ɾɐ/ [ka.pʊˈe(ɪ̯).ɾɐ], (faster pronunciation) /kaˈpwe(j).ɾɐ/ [kaˈpwe(ɪ̯).ɾɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ka.poˈe(j).ɾa/ [ka.poˈe(ɪ̯).ɾa], /ka.puˈe(j).ɾa/ [ka.pʊˈe(ɪ̯).ɾa], (faster pronunciation) /kaˈpwe(j).ɾa/ [kaˈpwe(ɪ̯).ɾa]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈpwɐj.ɾɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈpwɐj.ɾɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈpwej.ɾɐ/
  • (Central Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈpwej.ɾɐ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈpwe.ɾɐ/

• Rhymes: -ejɾɐ, (Portugal) -ɐjɾɐ
• Hyphenation: ca‧po‧ei‧ra

Etymology 1

From capão (“capon”) +‎ -eira. Compare Galician capoeira and Spanish caponera.

Noun

capoeira f (plural capoeiras)

1. henhouse

   Synonym: galinheiro

   Fui à capoeira apanhar ovos.

   I went to the henhouse to gather eggs.

2. a woven basket used by bondsmen to transport items
3. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (colloquial) brothel

Derived terms

• capoeiro
• encapoeirar

Etymology 2

San Salvador, 1835, by Rugendas. "The scene is set in a clearing surrounded by tropical vegetation and palm trees, corresponding precisely to the space called capoeira in Brazil."

Uncertain. There are various theories on the etymology:

• from Old Tupi kopûera, from kó (“clearing”) + pûera (“that once was”)
• from Old Tupi ka'apûera, from ka'a (“woods; forest”) + pûera (“that once was”)
• from Old Tupi ka'apaũ, from ka'a (“woods; forest”) + paũ (“round”)

Both Tupi words refer to lands that used to be cleared by the Tupis for agriculture and to which slaves would escape.

• from the root kupura (to play) in the Ki-Kongo language.
• from capão (“capon”) +‎ -eira, from a supposed resemblance between capoeira and cockfighting.

The spelling of this word and its derived terms were likely influenced by Etymology 1.

Noun

capoeira f (uncountable)

1. capoeira, a martial art developed in Brazil

   A capoeira é uma arte marcial brasileira.

   Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art.

2. glade; clearing (area of land devoid of trees)

   Synonyms: clareira, roçado, capoeiro

Derived terms

• capoeiragem
• capoeirão
• capoeirista
• capoeiro

Descendants

• Sranan Tongo: kapuweri
  • → Dutch: kapoeweri
• Saramaccan: kapuwéi
• → Spanish: capoeira
• → Basque: capoeira
• → Czech: capoeira
• → Dutch: capoeira
• → French: capoeira
• → Japanese: カポエイラ (kapoeira)
• → English: capoeira
• → Polish: capoeira
• → Russian: капоэйра (kapoejra)
• → Swedish: capoeira

Further reading

• “capoeira”, in iDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
• “capoeira” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
• “capoeira”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), Porto: 7Graus, 2009–2025
• “capoeira”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
• “capoeira”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “capoeira”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese capoeira.

Noun

capoeira f (plural capoeiras)

1. capoeira