Etymology

Barbados

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Today it means: To press-gang (force into naval service). Full definition →

Portuguese barbados ← Latin barbātus ← Proto-Italic *farðā
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰers-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰardʰéh₂
  3. Proto-Italic*farðā
  4. Latinbarba
  5. Latinbarbātus
  6. Portuguesebarbado
  7. Portuguesebarbados
  8. English todayBarbados

From Portuguese barbados (“bearded ones”), from barba (“beard”), due to the dense hanging moss or vines in the island.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.