English Translation of “abacaxi” | Collins Portuguese-English Dictionary.

Where does the word abacaxi come from?

Abacaxi (Pineapple)

The word “abacaxi” comes from the Tupi-Guarani “iwa'kati” or “i'ba-ka'ti”, which means “pleasant aroma” or “fruit that smells a lot”.

Why is pineapple called abacaxi?

'Pine' being the type of tree and 'apple' meaning fruit in general. When the fruit was introduced to Europe in the 1650's, the name was transferred to the fruit due to the resemblance. 'Ananas' comes from the Tupi word 'nanas', meaning excellent fruit, and 'abacaxi' from the Tupi word 'ibakatí', meaning thorny fruit.