Formosan

/fɔːrˈmoʊsən/ adjective, noun

Definition

Relating to Formosa (the former name of Taiwan) or its people, culture, and language.

Etymology

From Formosa (Portuguese 'Formosa,' meaning 'beautiful'), the historical Portuguese name for Taiwan + -an (suffix indicating relation or belonging). The island was renamed Taiwan in the 20th century.

Kelly Says

Formosan is a linguistic time capsule—Portugal named the island 'beautiful' in the 1600s, and that poetic name stuck in English for centuries, only fading when Taiwan reclaimed its own name; old maps show the ghost word everywhere.

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