odara

Portuguese

FWOTD – 18 February 2025

Etymology

Borrowed from Yoruba ó dára (“it is good”).[1] Originally a term from the Afro-Brazilian religions of Candomblé and Umbanda. It was significantly popularized by the 1977 song Odara by Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso.

Some sources claim the word derives from unspecified “Hindu culture”; this is unlikely given the context above.

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /oˈda.ɾɐ/
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /oˈda.ɾa/

  • Rhymes: -aɾɐ
  • Hyphenation: o‧da‧ra

Adjective

odara (invariable)

  1. (Brazil, informal) generally good, positive
    Near-synonyms: supimpa; see also Thesaurus:bom
    • 1977, Caetano Veloso, “Odara”, in Bicho, Phonogram:
      Deixe eu dançar / Pro meu corpo ficar odara / Minha cara / Minha cuca ficar odara
      Let me dance / So my body can be swell / My face / The top of my head remain swell

References

  1. ^ “odara”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025

Further reading

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