Definition
A container, usually made of glass or plastic, used to hold liquids such as water, juice, or wine.
Example
Ela encheu a garrafa com água fria.
Show translation
She filled the bottle with cold water.
Etymology
From Arabic *ġarrāfa* (غَرَّافَة), meaning "a large drinking vessel" or "ladle," derived from the verb *ġarafa* ("to scoop up water"). The word entered Portuguese through medieval contact with Arabic-speaking cultures during the Moorish period in the Iberian Peninsula.
Cultural note
In Brazil, *garrafa* is the everyday word for "bottle" in all contexts — water bottles, wine bottles, soda bottles. The phrase *garrafa térmica* (thermos/insulated bottle) is especially common, as Brazilians frequently carry hot water for making *chimarrão* (a traditional mate tea popular in the south) or *café*. Notably, *garrafa* is a false friend for Italian learners: Italian *caraffa* means "carafe/pitcher," not quite the same thing.