Copaiva

/koʊˈpeɪvə/ noun

Definition

An alternative spelling or variant form of copaiba, the tropical resin used in medicine and varnish.

Etymology

A variant spelling of 'copaiba' influenced by different Portuguese or colonial English spellings of the Tupi-derived word.

Kelly Says

This alternate spelling shows how words from indigenous languages got mangled as they traveled through Portuguese, Spanish, and English—different colonizers spelled the same word different ways.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.