Natal

Etymology

From Portuguese Natal (“Christmas”), because the region in South Africa was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama on Christmas Day, 1497. Doublet of natal.

Proper noun

Natal

1. A former British colony and province of South Africa, itself beforehand the Natalia Republic. It is now called KwaZulu-Natal province.
2. A municipality, the state capital of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Anagrams

• alant

Alternative forms

• natal

Etymology

From Malay Natal, from Portuguese Natal, from Old Galician-Portuguese Natal, from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birthday of the Lord”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈnatal/ [ˈna.t̪al]
• Rhymes: -atal
• Syllabification: Na‧tal

Proper noun

Natal

1. (Christianity) Christmas (festival observed on December 25 commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ)

Further reading

• “Natal” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese Natal (via any dialects in contact with the Portuguese like Ambonese, Ternate etc) or creoles like Kristang, from Old Galician-Portuguese Natal, from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birthday of the Lord”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [na.tal]

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -tal, -al
• Hyphenation: Na‧tal

Proper noun

Natal (Jawi spelling ناتل)

1. (Malacca, Indonesia, Christianity) Christmas; a festival/holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and incorporating various Christian, pre-Christian, pagan and secular customs, which is celebrated on December 25 in most places.

References

• Wilkinson, Richard James (1932) “natal”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), volume I, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, page 167

Further reading

• “Natal” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Etymology

Inherited from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birthday of the Lord”).

Noun

Natal m

1. Christmas

Further reading

• Universo Cantigas - "Natal"

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Homophone: natal
• Hyphenation: Na‧tal

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese Natal, from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birthday of the Lord”). Doublet of natal.

Compare Galician Nadal.

Etymology 2

From Natal (“Christmas”), because the region in South Africa was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama on Christmas Day, 1497.

Further reading

• “Natal”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “Natal”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025