masmorra
/mazˈmo.ʁɐ/feminine
The English word dungeon can be translated into Portuguese as masmorra. It is also spelled calaboiço. Wiktionary also lists calabouço.
Meaning: underground prison or vault (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| masmorra | /mazˈmo.ʁɐ/ (Brazil) /maʒˈmo.ʁɐ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
feminine |
| calabouço | /ka.laˈbo(w).su/ (Brazil) /kɐ.lɐˈbo(w).su/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| calaboiço | masculine, alternative form |
The terms used for dungeon refer to an underground prison or vault.
Which one should you use?
calaboiço is an alternative spelling of calabouço.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of the masculine calabouço, add -s to get calabouços. To form the plural of the feminine masmorra, add -s to get masmorras.
How do you pronounce it?
The word masmorra has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The IPA is /mazˈmo.ʁɐ/.
Did you know?
- The word masmorra comes from the Arabic word maṭmūra, which refers to a place for storing grain underground.
- If a Portuguese speaker refers to a 'calabouço' in a metaphorical sense, they might be describing a place that is suffocating or extremely cramped, much like a literal dungeon.
- While masmorra and calabouço are synonyms, masmorra often evokes a darker, more damp and subterranean image in Portuguese literature.
Examples in context
- Os baús de tesouro são abundantes no calabouço, mas também os monstros horríveis.Treasure chests abound in the dungeon, but so do horrible monsters.This sentence shows how to describe the presence of treasure chests and monsters in a calabouço.Tatoeba #4291151 by mervert1, translation #718081 by papabear
- O prisioneiro foi mantido no calabouço.The prisoner was kept in the dungeon.
- O herói encontrou o tesouro escondido na masmorra.The hero found the hidden treasure in the dungeon.
- A princesa foi mantida em uma prisão subterrânea.The princess was kept in an underground dungeon.
- A moeda está escondida no calabouço do castelo.The coin is hidden in the castle dungeon.
- Os prisioneiros escaparam da masmorra durante a noite.The prisoners escaped from the dungeon during the night.
- Ele foi sentenciado a meses de prisão no calabouço subterrâneo.He was sentenced to months of imprisonment in the underground dungeon.
- A masmorra era escura e fria.The dungeon was dark and cold.
- Eles encontraram uma masmorra abandonada no castelo.They found an abandoned dungeon in the castle.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a fantasy novel they are reading.
- MarianaVocê leu a parte da masmorra?Did you read the dungeon part?
- LucasSim, a masmorra era assustadora.Yes, the dungeon was scary.
- MarianaO protagonista ficou preso nela?Did the protagonist get trapped in it?
- LucasSim, ele quase morreu lá.Yes, he almost died there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dungeon” translations and entries masmorra, calabouço, calaboiço, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calabouço, masmorra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
