favela

noun

fa·​ve·​la fə-ˈve-lə How to pronounce favela (audio)
variants or less commonly favella
: a settlement of jerry-built shacks lying on the outskirts of a Brazilian city

Examples of favela in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Back then the Brazilian government was trying to entice families to leave overcrowded urban favelas and make their homes in the forest. Rebecca Shaw, TIME, 9 Oct. 2024 Braga will play Valeria Melo, a professional driver with family connections to a gang that runs a favela in Brazil. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Oct. 2024 In 2016, more than 70,000 were displaced from Rio de Janeiro’s favelas to make way for the event. Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2024 The series was shot in 58 different locations, including six favelas, employing 240 actors and over 4,000 extras. John Hopewell, Variety, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for favela 

Word History

Etymology

Brazilian Portuguese favela, perhaps from Favela, hill outside Rio de Janeiro

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of favela was in 1946

Dictionary Entries Near favela

Cite this Entry

“Favela.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/favela. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on favela

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!