The Michaelis Portuguese dictionary in Brazil now has over 167,000 words, with the addition of the word “pele” on Wednesday.
Portuguese speakers worldwide can now use “pele” to describe something or someone exceptional, similar to how it is used informally in Brazil.
The Pele Foundation announced on Instagram that the term used to describe the most skilled person in a particular field has been added to the dictionary.
The new definition of the word is associated with the exceptional, incomparable, and unique qualities of “The King” of football who passed away at the age of 82 in December.
The online version of Michaelis also contains useful examples: “He is the pele of basketball… She is the pele of Brazilian drama.”
Currently, the word has only been added to the online version of Michaelis dictionary, but it will also be included in the printed versions later.
The Pele Foundation, SporTV, and Santos football club collaborated on a campaign resulting in something.
Pele scored 1,281 goals, which is a world record, while playing for Santos, the Brazilian national team, and the New York Cosmos over a period of more than 20 years.