What do a slithering snake, a sweet breakfast spread, and a backyard porch have in common? They might seem completely unrelated, but they share a hidden linguistic connection: they all came into English directly from Portuguese.

Languages are like living archives, constantly borrowing, adapting, and evolving. While English is famous for its Latin, French, and Germanic roots, another, less-obvious influence has left a fascinating mark on our vocabulary. Thanks to Portugal’s Age of Discovery, its sailors, traders, and explorers didn’t just chart new territories; they also acted as global linguistic couriers, bringing new concepts and their names back to Europe. Many of these words, picked up from the shores of Brazil, the ports of India, and the coasts of Africa, have become so common we don’t even notice their exotic origins.

So, get ready to discover the Portuguese you’ve been speaking all along. Here are 10 common English words you probably didn’t know were Portuguese.

A Linguistic Treasure Chest

1. Cobra

Let’s start with a classic. When you hear the word cobra, you picture a specific kind of snake: one with a threatening, flared hood. That’s because the word is a perfect description. It comes from the Portuguese cobra de capelo, which literally means “snake with a hood.” Early Portuguese explorers encountering the venomous serpents in Africa and Asia gave them this fitting name. When the word entered English in the 17th century, we simply shortened it to cobra, keeping the Portuguese essence intact.

2. Marmalade

This might be the most surprising word on the list for many breakfast lovers. The word marmalade comes from the Portuguese marmelada, which refers to a thick paste made from quince (a fruit called marmelo in Portuguese). The original Portuguese delicacy was a solid, sliceable quince cheese. When the preserve made its way to Britain, the English adopted the name but began applying it to the citrus-based jams—particularly those made with Seville oranges—that they adored. So every time you have marmalade on toast, you’re referencing a Portuguese quince paste!

3. Piranha

The name of this fearsome Amazonian fish is as sharp as its teeth. The word piranha was adopted into English directly from Portuguese, but the Portuguese themselves borrowed it from the indigenous Tupi-Guarani languages of Brazil. It’s a compound of the Tupi words pirá (“fish”) and anha (“tooth” or “devil”). So, a piranha is quite literally a “toothed fish” or “devil fish.” It’s a perfect example of Portuguese acting as a bridge between a New World language and English.

4. Fetish

This word has a complex and fascinating journey. It begins with the Portuguese word feitiço, meaning “a charm”, “sorcery”, or “an enchantment.” When Portuguese traders encountered West African cultures in the 15th and 16th centuries, they used feitiço to describe the various amulets, idols, and objects of spiritual reverence they saw, often with a dismissive connotation. The word entered French as fétiche and then English as fetish, initially used by anthropologists to describe objects of “irrational” worship. It was only later, in the 20th century, that psychology adopted the term to describe objects of sexual fixation.

5. Cashew

Another delicious borrowing from Brazil by way of Portugal. The word cashew comes from the Portuguese caju (pronounced “ka-ZHOO”). The Portuguese, in turn, picked up the word from the Tupi term acajú, which means “nut that produces itself.” This is likely a reference to the unusual way the cashew seed (the “nut” we eat) grows outside of its fruit, which is known as the cashew apple. We adopted the name but anglicized the pronunciation.

6. Albino

This term, used to describe a person or animal with a congenital lack of pigment, has its roots in Portuguese exploration. The word albino comes directly from Portuguese, where it is a diminutive of alvo, meaning “white.” Portuguese sailors exploring the coast of West Africa in the 17th century used the term to refer to local people they observed with this condition, distinguishing them from the darker-skinned population. The word entered the scientific and general lexicon from there.

7. Veranda

If you’ve ever relaxed on a veranda, you’ve enjoyed a piece of Portuguese architecture—at least linguistically. The word comes from the Portuguese varanda, which means “railing”, “balcony”, or “long porch.” The word traveled with Portuguese colonists to India, where it became a common feature in Anglo-Indian architecture. The British, encountering it there during the Raj, adopted both the architectural style and the name, popularizing it across the English-speaking world.

8. Tank

This is perhaps the most deceptive word on the list. We’re not talking about the armored military vehicle! The word tank, meaning a large artificial container for liquid, has a surprising origin. It entered English from Portuguese tanque. But the story doesn’t end there. The Portuguese likely borrowed the word from the Indian language of Gujarati, where tankh referred to a cistern or underground reservoir. So this simple word traces a path from India to Portugal and finally to England, all thanks to global trade networks.

9. Flamingo

The name for this elegant pink bird is wonderfully quirky. It comes to English from the Spanish and Portuguese word flamengo, which literally means “Flemish”—as in, a person from Flanders (modern-day Belgium). Why name a tropical bird after a Northern European? The prevailing theory is that the bird’s bright, pinkish-red (“flame-like”) color reminded observers of the ruddy complexions of the Flemish people. It’s a whimsical reminder of how a simple observation can become a permanent name.

10. Molasses

This thick, dark syrup, a byproduct of refining sugarcane, has a name as sweet as its origin. Molasses comes from the Portuguese melaço, which itself derives from the Latin mel, meaning “honey.” Given Portugal’s central role in the historical sugar trade, especially with its colonies in Brazil, it’s no surprise that a Portuguese term for this crucial commodity became the standard in English.

The Language of Exploration

These ten words are more than just trivia; they are tiny artifacts of history. They tell a story of exploration, trade, conflict, and cultural exchange. They show how a small seafaring nation on the edge of Europe became a linguistic conduit, funneling words from around the globe into the mainstream of European languages. So the next time you spot a flamingo or sip a cup of tea with molasses, take a moment to appreciate the hidden Portuguese journey behind the words you use every day.