Capoeira Definition
kăpō-ārə, käpo͝o-ārä
noun
A sport combining rhythmic dance, martial-arts, and acrobatic movements that originated in 16th-cent. Brazil among African slaves who practiced it as a form of self-defense disguised as dance.
Webster's New World
Origin of Capoeira
Brazilian Portuguese perhaps from capoeira cultivated field that has reverted to forest or scrubland (perhaps in reference to the origins of the martial art in gatherings held by slaves and poor rural communities) from Tupí kopu̯era (influenced by Tupí kaa scrubland) ko clearing, agricultural field cleared in a forest pu̯era that once was
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Portuguese capoeira, of uncertain etymology.
From Wiktionary
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