Paraguayan

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the South American nation located between Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia, characterized by its unique culture and history
2. Pertaining to the citizens or the official languages of Paraguay, which include Spanish and Guaraní
3. Associated with the geographical and political features of Paraguay, including its landscapes and societal customs

Etymology: The name "Paraguay" itself is the more interesting part of this story. It comes from Classical Guarani, the language of the indigenous peoples of the region, where "paraguâ" was a word for a person or people from the area, built from elements meaning roughly "water" or "river" combined with a word for "crown" or "ornament" in some accounts. Spanish settlers adopted the name for the river and the region, and English later took it as "Paraguay." The rival translations of the Guarani elements are uncertain, so it is safest to say the name is indigenous in origin and Spanish in its form. "Paraguayan" is the plain product of that name. English attached the suffix "-an," which denotes belonging to or coming from a place, to "Paraguay," producing an adjective and noun meaning a native or inhabitant of the country, or something originating there. The suffix itself has a long pedigree, passing from Latin "-ānus" through Old French into Middle English as "-an," so the ending is much older than the country's name.

Synonyms: Paraguay citizen, Paraguay native, Paraguayan person