The football player “Pele,” who is regarded as the finest in history, is now a noun.
The term “pele” was added to the more than 167,000 entries in the Brazilian-printed Michaelis Portuguese dictionary on Wednesday.
“Pele” may now be used to refer to anything or someone unusual for the 265 million or more Portuguese speakers throughout the globe, the manner in which it is currently used colloquially in Brazil.
The Pele Foundation said on Instagram, “The phrase previously used to describe to someone who is the finest at what they do has been eternalized on the pages of the dictionary.
The term is described in the new entry as “exceptional, incomparable, and unique” – characteristics connected to “The King” of football, who passed away in December at the age of 82.
The Michaelis online edition also offers some helpful examples: He is the basketball pele… She is the drama queen of Brazil.
The term is currently only included in the Michaelis online edition, but it will eventually be added to printed dictionaries as well.
It is the outcome of an initiative by the Pele Foundation, the sports network SporTV, and the Sao Paulo football team Santos, where Pele spent the majority of his playing days.
Over the course of more than two decades, Pele amassed a record-breaking 1,281 goals while playing for Santos (1956–1974), the Brazilian national team, and the New York Cosmos (1975–1977).