karaibebé

Old Tupi

Etymology

Coined by Jesuits in the 16th century, from karaíba (“Christian”) +‎ bebé (“flying”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka.ɾaˌi.β̞ɛˈβ̞ɛ]
• Rhymes: -ɛ
• Hyphenation: ka‧ra‧i‧be‧bé

Noun

karaibebé (possessable)

1. (Christianity, Late Tupi) angel

   Synonym: apŷabebé

   • 1618, Cristóvão Valente, compiled by Antônio de Araújo, Cateciſmo na Lingoa Braſilica […], Cantigas na lingoa pera os mininos da Sancta Doctrina (overall work in Old Tupi, Portuguese, and Latin), Lisbon: Pedro Crasbeeck, page 6:

     Peyôri apiàbetà
     Oyepé tiay moêté
     Yandé caraîbèbê

     [Peîori apŷabetá
     Oîepé t'îaîmoeté
     Îandé karaibebé]

     Come, men. We shall honor in unisson our angel.

   • c. 1583, Joseph of Anchieta, Auto de São Lourenço [Play of Saint Lawrence], Niterói, page 50; republished in Eduardo de Almeida Navarro, transl., compiled by Maria de Lourdes de Paula Martins, Teatro, 2nd edition, São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 2006, →ISBN:

     Pe îabi'õ Pa'i Tupã karaibebé moingóû. A'e pe mopyatã; a'e kó pe sumarã pe 'anga suí i mondóû.

     For each one of you, Lord God has charged an angel. He makes you strong; he shoos away your enemies from your souls.

Descendants

• Nheengatu: karaiwewé