avá

Avó is the Portuguese term for grandmother, the female parent of one's mother or father. It denotes a family elder and is commonly used to refer to a grandmother in both European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. The term is affectionate and may be used across generations.

The word derives from Latin avia, the feminine form of avus (grandfather). Through developments in Old Portuguese, avia evolved into avó, with the plural avós.

In everyday life, avós are often described as caregivers, storytellers, and keepers of family history and tradition. They may participate in childcare, pass down recipes and language, and provide emotional and practical support to their children and grandchildren. The grandmother figure varies across families and cultures, but remains a central ancestral role in many Portuguese-speaking communities.

Variants and forms include vó or vovó, especially in Brazil, where vovó is a common affectionate term. In Portugal, avó is standard in formal contexts, with avó materna or avó paterna used to specify maternal or paternal lineage. The male equivalent is avô, with plural avôs.