cruzeiro real: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very Low Frequency)Formal, Historical, Technical (Economics/Finance)
Quick answer
What does “cruzeiro real” mean?
A former Brazilian currency unit, used as the official currency of Brazil from 1993 to 1994.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A former Brazilian currency unit, used as the official currency of Brazil from 1993 to 1994.
A historical term for a specific, short-lived Brazilian currency, often referenced in economic or historical contexts discussing hyperinflation, currency reforms, or Latin American financial history.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage. The term is a direct loan from Portuguese and is used identically in both varieties when the specific currency is discussed.
Connotations
Connotes economic instability, hyperinflation, and a specific period in Brazilian economic history.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general discourse. Slightly more likely to appear in American publications due to greater focus on Latin American economics in some media, but the difference is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “cruzeiro real” in a Sentence
The [cruzeiro real] was introduced in [1993].Prices were quoted in [cruzeiro real].It replaced the [cruzeiro].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cruzeiro real” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The government decided to cruzeiro-real-ise the economy. (Hypothetical/Non-standard)
American English
- They had to cruzeiro-real-ize the accounting. (Hypothetical/Non-standard)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial use)
American English
- (No standard adverbial use)
adjective
British English
- The cruzeiro real period was marked by instability.
American English
- Cruzeiro real banknotes are now collectors' items.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in historical financial reports or analyses of Brazilian economic history.
Academic
Found in economic history texts, papers on hyperinflation, or studies of currency reforms.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside of Brazil or among historians/numismatists.
Technical
Precise term in economics, finance, and numismatics for that specific currency.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cruzeiro real”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cruzeiro real”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cruzeiro real”
- Using it to refer to modern Brazilian currency.
- Misspelling as 'cruziero real' or 'cruzeiro royal'.
- Treating it as a common noun (e.g., 'a cruzeiro real').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it was replaced by the current Brazilian real (BRL) in 1994.
In English, it's commonly pronounced kroo-ZAY-roh ray-AHL, approximating the Portuguese pronunciation.
It represents a key transitional phase in Brazil's struggle with hyperinflation, immediately preceding the successful Plano Real economic stabilization plan.
Almost exclusively in historical, economic, or numismatic (coin collecting) contexts discussing 20th-century Brazil.
A former Brazilian currency unit, used as the official currency of Brazil from 1993 to 1994.
Cruzeiro real is usually formal, historical, technical (economics/finance) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. It is a technical/historical term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A real cruise through Brazilian money history ended with the Cruzeiro Real.' It was a transitional currency on the way to the modern 'Real'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A MEASURE OF INSTABILITY (as it represents a period of rapid devaluation).
Practice
Quiz
What was the 'cruzeiro real'?