Definition
A leaf on a tree or plant; also a sheet of paper.
Example
As folhas da árvore caíram no chão.
Show translation
The leaves of the tree fell on the ground.
Etymology
From Latin *folia*, the plural of *folium* ("leaf"), which was reanalyzed as a feminine singular in Vulgar Latin. The same root gives English "folio" and "portfolio," and appears across the Romance family (French *feuille*, Spanish *hoja*, Italian *foglia*).
Cultural note
In Brazilian everyday speech, *folha* does double duty: in a classroom, asking for "uma folha" means a sheet of paper, not a leaf. *Folha de São Paulo* — named with this same word — is one of Brazil's most widely read newspapers, literally "Sheet/Leaf of São Paulo."