carango

Portuguese

Etymology

Uncertain. Possibly from Quechua huarangu, or linked to Latin cancer via a Vulgar Latin metathetic form (compare Old Spanish cangro); cf. also caranguejo.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾɐ̃.ɡu/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾɐ̃.ɡu/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈɾɐ̃.ɡo/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈɾɐ̃.ɡu/

• Rhymes: -ɐ̃ɡu
• Hyphenation: ca‧ran‧go

Noun

carango m (plural carangos)

1. (Brazil, informal) ride (affectionate term for one’s automobile)

   Synonym: possante

2. crab louse; pubic louse (Pthirus pubis, a parasitic insect that lives amongst the pubic hairs of humans)

   Synonyms: chato, piolho-púbico, ladro, piolho-ladro

3. (Brazil) itchiness caused by parasites
4. (military, colloquial) infantry soldier
5. (Brazil) cop
6. (Mozambique) peanut

Related terms

• caranguejo

References

• “carango”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
• “carango”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025
• “carango”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “carango”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
• “carango” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913