Word: Formosa Part of Speech: name Etymology: From Portuguese Formosa, as in Ilha Formosa (literally “Beautiful Island”) and Vila Formosa da Imperatriz (literally “Beautiful Town of the Empress”), from formosa (“beautiful, shapely”), from Latin fōrmōsus (“beautiful, well-formed”), from fōrma (“shape”) + -ōsus (“-ful”), literally “shapeful”. The Brazilian city was named in honor of Empress Teresa Cristina, in the 1840s. Pronunciation: /fɔːˈməʊ.sə/, /fəˈməʊ.sə/, /fɔɹˈmoʊ.sə/, /fɔɹˈmoʊ.zə/ 1. Synonym of Taiwan: an island of East Asia. Labels: dated Example: Heere we had the higheſt Land of Formoſa, South-eaſt, the neereſt land about eight leagues off, the neather point of it Eaſt by North ten leagues off our depth, fortie ſixe fathomes ozie : the latitude twentie fiue degree twentie minutes. From the high Land of Formoſa, ſtretcheth out a lower Land to the water-ſide, being a white ſandy ſhoare, and ſmooth ſand Hils farther vp the Countrey, much like to the Coaſt of Barbary. Example: The Iſland Formoſa, or the fair Iſland doth alſo belong to this Province ; as likewiſe the near adjacent Iſland called Teiwan, which the Hollanders poſſeſs, who have built a Fort there called new Zealand. 2. Synonym of Taiwan: an administrative division including Formosa and nearby islands. Labels: historical 3. Synonym of Taiwan: an administrative division including Formosa and nearby islands. Labels: historical Example: A new broom is not more active for reform than this new governor-general is in the new province of Formosa. Example: H. E. Li.—We can say in the Treaty "In respect to the province of Formosa, when the Treaty has been ratified and exchanged the two Governments shall draw up the conditions for the transfer." 4. Synonym of Taiwan: an administrative division including Formosa and nearby islands. Labels: historical Example: Except for the relatively unimportant Ryukyu Islands, which were acquired earlier, Formosa is Japan's oldest colony. She acquired it out of her war with China in 1894, and during recent years was believed to have fortified it heavily. 5. Synonym of Taiwan: an administrative division including Formosa and nearby islands. Labels: dated Example: Economically, the island is already far better off (with massive American aid) than it would be if it were incorporated into Communist China, and it would be better off still (and less of a burden to the American taxpayer) if its people were not required to support two governments and two civil services—one for the Chinese mainland, and the other for the province of Formosa—and an army of more than half a million, whose raison d’étre continues to be the reconquest of the mainland. Example: Government population policy has for the most part been notable for its absence, and few leading Nationalists have publicly admitted the problem. Indeed, in 1959, in an interview with a western correspondent, Chou Chih-jou, then Governor of Formosa (province), complained that population growth was “ his most serious problem ” but his administration was hamstrung by the stand taken against artificial birth control by the central government in Taipei and the ruling Nationalist party. 6. Synonym of Taiwan: an administrative division including Formosa and nearby islands. Labels: dated Example: If we should propose an exchange of ambassadors, Mao Tse-tung would surely ask if our recognition extended to Communist sovereignty over the 'Province of Formosa.' Example: The armed forces of China have struck the rebellious province of Formosa with force. We demand your immediate and unconditional surrender. Failure to comply with this order will warrant further action by our forces. 7. A city in Goiás, Brazil. 8. An island of the Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau.