Spanish and Portuguese word for river, commonly found in place names. Most famously refers to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
From Latin rivus meaning 'stream' or 'brook', cognate with English 'river'. The word spread throughout Spanish and Portuguese colonies, creating countless geographic names across Latin America.
This simple word for river has created some of the world's most exotic place names - Rio Grande, Rio de la Plata, Rio de Janeiro ('River of January'). It's a perfect example of how colonialism spread European words to describe New World geography.
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