Portugal etymology

Etymology

The name "Portugal" is derived from the Latin name for the geographic region where the country is located: Portus Cale.

Meaning

"Portus Cale" means "warm harbor" in Latin, referring to the sheltered harbor at the mouth of the Douro River, where the city of Porto was later established.

Origin

The name "Portus Cale" is believed to have originated with:

• The Celtic tribe known as the Callaeci: They inhabited the area of northwestern Iberia that corresponds to present-day Portugal and Galicia in Spain.
• The Greek word "Kales": Meaning "beautiful" or "warm," which may have described the harbor or the surrounding landscape.

Alternatively, the name "Portugal" may also be connected to:

• The Roman general Decimus Junius Brutus Callaecus: Who defeated the Callaeci in 137 BC and established the Roman province of Lusitania, which included the territory of present-day Portugal.
• The Portuguese word "porto": Meaning "harbor," which may have further influenced the evolution of the name.

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