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slum
[/slʌm/]
noun
pl: slums
favela
1.
a squalid and overcrowded urban area inhabited by very poor people
The city's slums were characterized by inadequate housing and poor sanitation.
As favelas da cidade eram caracterizadas por habitação inadequada e saneamento precário.
2.
a run-down or dilapidated building or area
That old building has become a slum over the years.
Aquele prédio antigo se tornou uma favela ao longo dos anos.
NYC Slang
hood, projects, ghetto
Synonyms
ghetto
shantytown
squatter settlement
poor neighborhood
Antonyms
affluent area
wealthy neighborhood
upscale district
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
favela
most common term in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
favela
historically associated with Rio's hillside communities
São Paulo
favela
commonly used, though 'cortiço' also used for tenement slums
Portugal
bairro de lata
traditional term; 'favela' also understood in modern context
Related Idioms & Phrases
slum it
from rags to riches (opposite of slum conditions)
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