Galo

Galo is a term with multiple uses in Portuguese-language contexts. The primary sense is that of a male chicken, a rooster. The word comes from Latin gallus and is used in Brazil and Portugal to refer to roosters in everyday speech and in traditional phrases.

In Brazilian Portuguese, galo also appears in idioms and cultural references. One widely recognized use is the Galo de Barcelos, a brightly painted ceramic rooster that has become a national symbol of Portugal after a folk tale about a pilgrim who was saved from injustice. The Galo de Barcelos is widely reproduced in crafts and souvenirs and is often displayed as a symbol of good luck.

Beyond its zoological meaning, Galo may appear as a surname and in certain place names in Portuguese-speaking countries. As a given name or nickname, it has been used in some cases, though it is not common outside specific communities. The term’s usage outside literal reference to roosters tends to be historical, cultural, or regional, rather than widely standardized.

Overall, Galo functions primarily as a common noun for a rooster in Portuguese, with notable cultural resonance in the Galo de Barcelos, and as a proper name in limited personal or geographic contexts.