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Glite Dictionary
Sao Tome

Sao Tome

1 4.6
The capital city of Sao Tome and Principe on the island of Sao Tome in West Africa
  • proper noun
: Sao Tomé
  • We spent a week exploring the markets and colonial architecture of Sao Tome.

Examples

  • Flights to Sao Tome are available from several major African cities.

  • Trade agreements have boosted economic growth in Sao Tome in recent years.

  • I visited Sao Tome last summer.

  • Have you ever been to Sao Tome?

  • I enjoyed the beautiful beaches and lush landscapes of Sao Tome during my vacation.

  • The vibrant culture and friendly locals made my stay in Sao Tome unforgettable.

  • In Sao Tome, you can taste delicious local dishes made from fresh produce.

Surface Forms

Sao Tome main

Morphology

Sao + Tome

This is a toponym composed of foreign elements (Portuguese São Tomé) and the provided constituents are not English lexical items, so a B1 learner who ‘knows’ the listed parts would not be able to infer that the phrase names the capital city. Proper names are conventionally arbitrary labels and place names are typically unpredictable from their components, making this opaque to learners.

Etymology

Sao Tome may come from Portuguese sailors who landed on the island on Saint Thomas's day and named it after him; they called the place Sao ('Saint') Tome ('Thomas'). That's why the city's name today remembers that saint.