travessa

Travessa is a feminine noun in Portuguese that designates a side street or alley. In urban contexts, a travessa is typically a smaller street that branches off a main street (rua) or intersects it at roughly right angles. The term is commonly used in Portugal and Brazil to describe cross streets or short lanes within neighborhoods. In addresses, a travessa often appears after the principal street to indicate its location, for example “Rua X, Travessa Y.” Not all travessas are alleys; some are short residential streets that run between other streets and do not carry through traffic.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from travessar, to cross, reflecting the function of a street that crosses or intersects another. The form travessa is widely used in geographic names and street networks, and its exact characteristics can vary by city.

Other uses: Travessa can also be a surname in Portuguese-speaking regions. It appears in place names and in the titles of churches or organizations, typically as part of a compound name such as Travessa do Carmo or Travessa de São João.

In summary, travessa denotes a smaller, crosswise street within a city’s layout and is a common component of Portuguese address naming, with occasional use as a proper noun in names.