author
Cândido de Figueiredo
1846–1925
A sharp-minded guardian of the Portuguese language, remembered above all for a hugely influential dictionary and for his lifelong fight over how words should be written and used. His work sits at the crossroads of literature, scholarship, and spirited debate.
2 Audiobooks
A penalidade na India segundo o Código de Manu
by Cândido de Figueiredo
Morte de Yaginadatta Episodio do poema epico - O Ramayana
by Valmiki, Cândido de Figueiredo
About the author
Born in Lobão da Beira, Portugal, in 1846, Cândido de Figueiredo first studied theology at the Seminary of Viseu and was ordained a priest before later studying law at the University of Coimbra. He went on to work as a lawyer and civil servant, but became far better known as a writer, lexicographer, grammarian, and philologist devoted to the Portuguese language.
He is especially remembered for the Novo Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, first published in 1899 and reissued many times afterward. Alongside his dictionary work, he published widely on language and usage, building a reputation as a forceful defender of linguistic precision. That same passion also made him a controversial figure, since his strongly purist views did not always win universal agreement.
For listeners coming to him today, the appeal is not just historical. His career captures a moment when questions of grammar, spelling, and national identity felt urgent and alive, and his books still reflect a deep belief that language deserves both care and curiosity.