Serras

Serras is the Portuguese plural of serra, a noun with several related meanings. In geographic contexts, serra denotes a mountain range or a chain of hills. In everyday use, serra also means a saw, a tool used for cutting wood. The plural serras therefore can refer to multiple mountain ranges or to multiple saws, depending on context.

In geography, serras are prominent landscape features in many Lusophone regions and commonly appear in place names. Well-known examples include Serra da Estrela in Portugal, a prominent mountain range that hosts protected natural areas, and Serra da Mantiqueira in Brazil, a major highland system spanning several states. Serra do Mar is another Brazilian range along the Atlantic coast. These serras influence local climate, hydrology, and biodiversity and are often focal points for conservation and tourism.

Etymology and usage: The word Serra comes from Latin via Romance languages. The ridge sense evokes a jagged line, akin to the edge of a saw, which is the other sense of the term in Portuguese. The plural serras thus captures both sets of meanings.

See also: Sierra, Serra (disambiguation).