Acolhedor

Acolhedor is a Portuguese adjective meaning welcoming or hospitable. It describes people, places, or atmospheres that convey warmth and invitation. The feminine form is acolhedora, and the corresponding noun for the act or quality of welcoming is acolhimento. In contexts referring to people, one can say ele é acolhedor or ela é acolhedora to express a friendly, hospitable demeanor; when describing places or environments, phrases such as um ambiente acolhedor or uma casa acolhedora are common.

Origin and related terms: Acolhedor derives from acolher, meaning to welcome or receive, with the agentive suffix -dor. The term is widely used in both European and Brazilian Portuguese, and is often preferred for expressing warmth over more formal synonyms like hospitalidade or cordialidade.

Usage notes: While close to the English word hospitable, acolhedor carries a warm, interpersonal tone. It can describe people (host, friend), settings (hotel, guesthouse, workplace), or events (a welcoming atmosphere).

See also: acolhimento; hospitalidade; recepção; cordialidade.