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Definition of paranapanema
paranapanema
/ˌpærənəpəˈneɪmə/
Pa · ra · na · pa · ne · ma
paranapanema Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A major river in southeastern Brazil that flows westward to join the Paraná River, forming a significant portion of the natural border between the states of São Paulo and Paraná.
Example
"The Paranapanema river basin has been highly developed for hydroelectric power and remains vital to the agricultural economy of southern Brazil."
• Rhymes for paranapanema
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From the Tupi-Guarani language, where 'paraná' means 'river' or 'sea' and 'panema' means 'bad', 'useless', or 'unlucky', historically referring to sections of the watercourse that were difficult to navigate or poor for fishing.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Paranapanema. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/paranapanema