Where does “Formosa” come from?
Formosa (Spanish) comes from Portuguese formosa, from Latin fōrmōsus, from Latin fōrma, from Etruscan morma, from Ancient Greek μορφή — shape, form; appearance; outline.
Ancestry of “Formosa”, step by step
Formosa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Portuguese formosa
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | formosa | feminine singular of formoso; beautiful |
| 2 | Latin | fōrmōsus | beautiful, handsome |
| 3 | Latin | fōrma | form; figure, shape, appearance |
| 4 | Etruscan | morma | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | μορφή | shape, form; appearance; outline |
via Old Spanish fermosa
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Spanish | fermosa | — |