[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/madeira/)

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# madeira

noun (Madeira – a place; madeira – a wine; madeira cake)

«madeira» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (a place) Madeira is a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that belong to Portugal, famous for mountains, flowers and a warm climate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#m1)
2. A strong, sweet wine made on those islands. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#m2)
3. (UK) Madeira cake: a plain, firm sponge cake, often eaten with a cup of tea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#m3)

### In the lessons

In geography Madeira is a Portuguese island group in the Atlantic, west of Morocco; its capital is Funchal, and the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was born there. In British kitchens «madeira cake» is a simple yellow cake, good for decorating birthday cakes because it is firm. Its name comes from being served with Madeira wine long ago; the cake has no wine in it.

### Examples

- Madeira is a group of islands that belong to Portugal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x1)
- We went to Madeira on holiday and walked along the mountain paths. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x2)
- Mum baked a madeira cake for the school cake sale. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x3)
- A madeira cake is firm, so it is good for birthday cakes with icing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x4)
- Madeira wine is made on the islands. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x5)
- Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, on Madeira. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x6)
- The airport on Madeira is famous for its short runway. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x7)
- Madeira means «wood» in Portuguese, because the island was covered in trees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/#x8)

### Note

As a place it takes a capital: Madeira. «Madeira cake» often written with a small m in recipes. Pronounced «ma-DEER-a». The cake does not contain wine. The wine is for adults only. In Portuguese «madeira» means «wood».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «madeira» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madeira/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«madeira» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/madeira.html) on Mova free.