lançada

Lançada is the feminine form of the past participle of the Portuguese verb lançar, meaning that something has been thrown, launched, or set in motion. As an adjective, lançada agrees with feminine nouns: for example, a bola lançada (the ball that was thrown) or uma proposta lançada (a proposal that was launched). In this use, it describes the result of an action expressed by lançar.

As a noun, lançada can denote the act of throwing or launching itself, or, in historical or literary contexts, an offensive move or thrust in military or sports language. For instance, uma lançada de lança could describe a spear thrust, while uma lançada de foguete would refer to the launch of a rocket. In contemporary prose and journalism, however, the noun lançamento is more commonly used to refer to a launch, with lançada appearing mainly in stylistic or idiomatic expressions.

Etymology and agreement: lançada derives from the verb lançar and is the feminine form to agree with feminine nouns. The masculine counterpart is lançado. The term tends to appear in contexts that emphasize the act or result of launching rather than as a technical term.

Usage notes: in everyday language many speakers prefer either a compound construction (lançar uma [coisa]) or the noun lançamento to denote launching. Lançada may appear in historical, literary, or descriptive passages to convey a sense of a bold initial action or thrust.

See also: Lançar; Lançamento.