# brazil

/bɹəˈzɪɫ/ (US) · /bɹɐzˈɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brazil
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the country

noun · CEFR A1

a large country in South America.

For teachers: a sovereign state in South America, the largest in both area and population on the continent.

- Many people visit Brazil every year to see the carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
- Brazil is the only country in the Americas where Portuguese is the official language, a legacy of its history as a colony.

### 2. the nut

noun · CEFR B1

a large, three-sided nut with a hard shell that grows in South America.

For teachers: the edible seed of a large South American tree, typically found in a hard, woody shell.

- I added some chopped brazil nuts to the cake for extra crunch.
- The brazil is unique among commercial nuts because nearly all of the global harvest comes from wild trees rather than plantations.

### 3. the wood

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of hard, reddish wood used to make things like violin bows.

For teachers: the heavy, reddish-brown wood of several tropical trees, historically used for producing dye and currently used in fine luthiery.

- The craftsman used brazil to create the high-quality violin bow.
- The trade in brazil was so central to the early colonial economy that the territory eventually took its name from the timber.

Usage: Often refers specifically to the wood of the Paubrasilia echinata tree.

## Examples

- Brazil is the largest country in South America.
- Many tourists visit Brazil every year to experience the famous Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro.
- As a major global exporter of coffee and soy, Brazil plays a critical role in international trade and the management of the Amazon rainforest's biodiversity.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.