Curação

Portuguese

Etymology

Uncertain. Usually cited as a shortening of Ilha da Curação (literally, “Island of Healing”, in reference to the island's supposed use as a rest stop for sailors afflicted with scurvy or other ailments) but this could be a folk etymology, and a phono-semantic matching from Lokono is deemed more likely by some (in which case Curaçau may be phonetically closer to the original form). Alternatively, a corruption of coração (“heart”).

Pronunciation

  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ku.ɾaˈsɐ̃w̃/ [ku.ɾaˈsɐ̃ʊ̯̃]
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ku.ɾɐˈsɐ̃w̃/

Proper noun

Curação ?

  1. Curaçao (an island and constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea off the west coast of Venezuela)

Usage notes

  • Some dictionaries proscribe this form in favor of Curaçau.

Descendants

  • → Spanish: Curaçao
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