nounmasculinepl: cognomes
surname, last name, family name
1. The family name or hereditary name shared by members of a family
Her cognome is Silva, which is one of the most common surnames in Brazil.
O cognome dela é Silva, que é um dos sobrenomes mais comuns no Brasil.
2. A name added to or replacing a person's given name, often indicating family lineage or origin
The cognome indicates the paternal or maternal family line.
O cognome indica a linhagem familiar paterna ou materna.
While 'cognome' is the technical and formal term for surname in Portuguese, 'sobrenome' is far more prevalent in everyday Brazilian Portuguese usage. However, cognome appears frequently in legal documents, formal identification, and academic contexts. In Portugal, the word 'apelido' is preferred, making cognome less common in contemporary usage across Portuguese-speaking regions.
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