Bittersweet longing for someone or something absent, lost, distant, or past, plus affectionate plural remembrances and a separate botanical name for scabious flowers.
From Latin solitas, meaning solitude, through older Portuguese forms such as soidade. Some accounts connect the modern spelling with association to words such as saudar.
FAQ
What does saudade mean?
Saudade means a deep, affectionate longing for someone or something absent, lost, distant, or past.
Is saudade just nostalgia?
No. Nostalgia is close, but saudade often adds affection, absence, loss, and a wish for return.
How is saudade used in Portuguese?
Common patterns include ter saudade de and sentir saudade de, as in Tenho saudade da minha avó.
What does saudades mean in a message?
Saudades can mean warm regards or affectionate remembrances, as in Mande saudades à sua família.
Where does saudade come from?
It comes from Latin solitas, meaning solitude, through older Portuguese forms such as soidade.
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