favela

[ fuh-vel-uh; Portuguese fah-ve-lah ]

noun

1. a shantytown in or near a city, especially in Brazil; slum area.

favela

/ fɑːˈveɪlə /

noun

1. (in Brazil) a shanty or shantytown

Word History and Origins

Origin of favela¹

1945–50; < Brazilian Portuguese: alleged to be a name given to a hill in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, where such towns were built circa 1900; literally, a shrub of the family Euphorbiaceae, derivative of Portuguese fava bean < Latin faba

Word History and Origins

Origin of favela¹

C20: from Portuguese

Example Sentences

Anielle Franco, minister of racial equality, said her sister's legacy would be "evidence that women, black people from the favelas, when they get to positions of power, they deserve to remain alive".

From BBC

She says she was attracted to Torres’ trajectory from impoverished Brazilian favela to international catwalks, partying with Hollywood A-listers along the way.

From BBC

She doesn’t have a professional club to play for, she only trains twice a week, and her nutrition is not the best due to limited food choices in the favela.

From Seattle Times

Anitta was already known for elevating marginalized populations such as women, residents of the working-class neighborhoods known as favelas, as well as LGBTQ+ and Black people.

From Seattle Times

In the early days of social media, youngsters uploaded videos of their latest feats to Orkut and YouTube, and the style started spreading to other favelas.

From Seattle Times