crusado: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low (archaic/historical)historical, literary, numismatic
Quick answer
What does “crusado” mean?
An obsolete Portuguese gold or silver coin, often bearing the figure of a cross.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An obsolete Portuguese gold or silver coin, often bearing the figure of a cross.
The coin was a historical currency used in the Portuguese Empire from the 16th to the 18th centuries. In literature, it can serve as a period-specific detail or a metaphor for antiquated wealth or commerce.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional difference in usage, as the term is equally archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes historical, colonial, or maritime trade contexts.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both British and American English, encountered almost exclusively in historical or literary works.
Grammar
How to Use “crusado” in a Sentence
Verb + crusado: mint a crusado, pay with crusados, trade crusadosVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used in modern business.
Academic
Used in historical, economic, or numismatic studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in numismatics (coin collecting) as a specific catalog term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crusado”
- Misspelling as 'crusader' or 'cruzado'. Using it as a synonym for modern money.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Only indirectly. Both words derive from the Latin 'crux' (cross). The coin was named for the cross stamped on it, while a crusader was a 'cross-bearer' in a religious war.
No, it is an archaic historical term. You will only encounter it in texts about history, historical fiction, or numismatics.
Both 'crusado' and 'cruzado' (the more common Portuguese spelling) are found in English texts. 'Crusado' is a common Anglicization.
It was a unit of currency in Portugal and its colonies, used for trade, tax payments, and savings, much like a pound or dollar today, but in coin form.
An obsolete Portuguese gold or silver coin, often bearing the figure of a cross.
Crusado is usually historical, literary, numismatic in register.
Crusado: in British English it is pronounced /kruːˈzeɪdəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kruˈzeɪdoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not worth a crusado (historical expression for something of little value)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CRUSADER carrying a CROSS (cruz) on a Portuguese COIN – a CRUSADO.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANTIQUITY IS A FOREIGN COIN (represents something from a distant past and place).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'crusado'?