what does cabo verde mean

Cabo Verde means “Green Cape” in Portuguese. The name was given by Portuguese explorers and later became the country’s official name in Portuguese.

Meaning

• Cabo = cape.
• Verde = green.

So the phrase literally translates to Green Cape. The islands were named this even though the country itself is a volcanic Atlantic archipelago, not a single cape.

Common usage

• In English, people historically said Cape Verde.
• The government has used Cabo Verde officially since 2013.

Quick note

If you saw it in a travel, history, or geography context, it almost always refers to the country off the coast of West Africa.

TL;DR: Cabo Verde means Green Cape.