Branquear
Branquear is a verb used in both Spanish and Portuguese with meanings tied to making something white or lighter in color. In Spanish, branquear is less common than blanquear and tends to appear in regional, literary, or technical contexts. In Portuguese, branquear is a standard term for whitening or lightening, used for objects, surfaces, hair, teeth whitening, and similar processes. In both languages, the term can be used figuratively to mean making something appear purer or more acceptable, sometimes with a sense of masking flaws, though blanquear is more widespread for such figurative uses.
Etymology and cognates: branquear derives from roots related to the color white. In both Spanish and Portuguese,
Usage in Spanish: the primary sense is to make something whiter or lighter in color, such as
Usage in Portuguese: branquear covers whitening or lightening tasks for clothes, surfaces, teeth, and culinary or
Conjugation: branquear is a regular -ar verb. Present: branqueo, branqueas, branquea, branqu e amos, branqueáis, branquean.