vaga-lume

See also: vagalume

Portuguese

Etymology

vagar (“to wander”) + lume (“light”). A euphemism for caga-lume (literally “light-shitter”). Compare Galician vagalume.

Pronunciation

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /va.ɣɐ.ˈlu.mɨ/
(Brazil) IPA^(key): /va.ɡa.ˈlu.mi/
Hyphenation: va‧ga-‧lu‧me

Noun

vaga-lume m (plural vaga-lumes)

firefly (Lampyridae)
Synonym: pirilampo
- 1880, Machado de Assis, “Círculo Vicioso”, in Ocidentais:
  "Pesa-me esta brilhante auréola de nume… / Enfara-me esta luz e desmedida umbela… / Por que não nasci eu um simples vaga-lume?"…
  (please add an English translation of this quote)

Further reading

vaga-lume on the Portuguese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^pt

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