lápis azul

Portuguese

lápis azul

Etymology

From lápis (“pencil”) +‎ azul (“blue”), literally “blue pencil”. During the Estado Novo regime, censors would strike out any text deemed unsuitable for publication using a blue pencil.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈla.piz aˈzuw/ [ˈla.piz aˈzuʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈla.piz ɐˈzul/ [ˈla.piz ɐˈzuɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈla.piz ɐˈzul/ [ˈla.piz ɐˈzuɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈla.piz ɐˈzu.li/

Noun

lápis azul m (plural lápis azuis)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lápis,‎ azul.
2. (Portugal, idiomatic, figurative) censorship

   Synonym: censura

See also

• liberdade de expressão
• liberdade de imprensa