capoeira

From Brazilian Portuguese capoeira, of uncertain etymology.

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

• Audio (US):

  (file)

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.

• capoeirista

From Portuguese capoeira.

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

capoeira inan

1. capoeira

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

Unadapted borrowing from Brazilian Portuguese capoeira.

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

capoeira f

1. capoeira

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

Borrowed from Portuguese capoeira. Doublet of kapoeweri.

• IPA^(key): /kaːpuˈeːraː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ca‧po‧ei‧ra

capoeira f (uncountable)

1. capoeira

Borrowed from Portuguese capoeira.

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

• Audio:

  (file)

capoeira f (uncountable)

1. capoeira

Attested since 1707. From capón +‎ -eira.

• IPA^(key): [kɑpoˈejɾɐ], [kɑpʊˈejɾɐ]

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

• capón

• 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

• kapoeira (rare)

Unadapted borrowing from Brazilian Portuguese capoeira.

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

• Audio:

  (file)

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

capoeira f

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

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

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

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

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

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.^[1][2][3]

• from the root kupura (to play) in the Ki-Kongo language.^[4]
• from capão (“capon”) +‎ -eira, from a supposed resemblance between capoeira and cockfighting.^[5]

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

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

• “capoeira”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (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), São Paulo: 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

Borrowed from Portuguese capoeira.

capoeira f (plural capoeiras)

1. capoeira