Beja

See also: beja

English

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• Beğa, Bedja

Noun

1. An ethnic group found along the Horn of Africa.

Proper noun

Beja

1. The language of the Beja ethnic group.

Further reading

• Ethnologue entry for Beja, bej ⁠

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• Baja, Bajs

Proper noun

Beja

1. A village in Latvia.

Etymology 3

Proper noun

Beja

1. A city and district of Portugal.
2. A town and governorate of Tunisia, often spelled Béja.

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Old Portuguese

Etymology

From Arabic.

Proper noun

Beja

1. Beja (a city in southern Portugal)
   • 13th century CE, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 224 (facsimile):

     Ond auẽo pois aſſẏ— que en Beia u moraua un ome Caſado ben con ſa moll q̇ amaua

     It happened as such, that in Beja lived a man, well-married with his wife whom he loved.

Descendants

• Portuguese: Beja

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Portuguese

Beja

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese Beja, from Arabic بَاجَة (bāja), from Visigothic Paca, from Latin Pax (Augusta)/ Pax (Iulia) (the ancient Roman town).

Pronunciation

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbɐ(j).ʒɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbɐ(j).ʒɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbe.ʒɐ/
  • (Central Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛ.ʒɐ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbe.ʒɐ/

• Audio (Portugal):

  (file)

• Homophone: beija
• Hyphenation: Be‧ja

Proper noun

Beja f

1. Beja (a district in southern Portugal)
2. Beja (a city and municipality of Beja, Portugal)

Usage notes

Beja is never indicated by an article; see usage notes for Portugal.

Related terms

• bejense, pacense