This is the 2499th most frequent Portuguese word.
costas
"Costas" in Portuguese means "back" (the rear part of the human body).
The word "costas" is used to refer to the backside of a person's torso, specifically the region commonly known as 'back'.
Ele sente dor nas costas depois de carregar a mochila pesada.
He feels pain in his back after carrying the heavy backpack.
Here, "costas" is used metaphorically to describe the outline of the land adjacent to the sea, similar to the coastal region.
Do alto da montanha, podíamos ver a linha das costas do oceano.
From the top of the mountain, we could see the line of the ocean's coast.
In this example, "costas" refers figuratively to someone speaking negatively in their absence or to their disadvantage.