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Home • Sports

Literal Black Excellence: Sports Legend Pelé Added To Brazilian Dictionary, Name Now Means 'Incomparable, Unique'

The new entry in the Portuguese edition of the Michaelis dictionary recognizes the late soccer legend's impact beyond the sport.
Literal Black Excellence: Sports Legend Pelé Added To Brazilian Dictionary, Name Now Means 'Incomparable, Unique'
Friedemann Vogel/ Getty Images
By Melissa Noel · Updated April 27, 2023

The word ‘Pele’ has been added to a Brazilian dictionary as an adjective to describe someone who is “exceptional, incomparable, unique.”

The new entry in the Portuguese edition of the Michaelis dictionary reads: “The one that is extraordinary, or who because of his quality, value or superiority cannot be matched to anything or anyone, just like Pelé; nickname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento (1940-2022), considered the best athlete of all time; exceptional, incomparable, unique,” according to The Associated Press.

Examples of how the word can be used in a sentence include: “He is the Pelé of basketball, she is the Pelé of tennis, she is the Pelé of Brazilian theater, he is the Pelé of medicine.”

The Michaelis dictionary made the announcement on Wednesday as part of a campaign that garnered over 125,000 signatures to recognize the late soccer great’s impact beyond the sport.

O REI OFICIALMENTE ESTÁ NO DICIONÁRIO!

Ele é o pelé do Basquete. Ela é a pelé do Tênis. A expressão que já era usada para se referir ao melhor naquilo que faz está eternizada nas páginas do dicionário! Juntos fizemos história e colocamos o nome do Rei do futebol na nossa língua… pic.twitter.com/Yy5RwWjq8J

— Pelé (@Pele) April 26, 2023

The Pelé Foundation, Santos FC, where he spent most of his playing career, and many Brazilians celebrated the decision by one of Brazil’s most popular dictionaries. 

Literal Black Excellence: Sports Legend Pelé Added To Brazilian Dictionary, Name Now Means ‘Incomparable, Unique’
Edson Arantes Do Nascimento Pele of Brazil celebrates the victory after winnings the 1970 World Cup in Mexico match between Brazil and Italy at Estadio Azteca on 21 June in Città del Messico. Mexico (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“The expression that was already used to refer to the best at something is already eternal in the pages of the dictionary,” Pelé’s social media channels said after the announcement. “We made history together and put the name of the King of Soccer into the Portuguese language. Pelé means ‘THE BEST.'”

As the game’s most prolific scorer, Pelé captivated fans and opponents for nearly two decades with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazilian national team. 

TOPICS:  pelé Sports