The three-time World Cup winner’s name has now been included as a new adjective in the Portuguese edition of the Michaelis dictionary. The Pele Foundation and Sportv started the “Pele in the Dictionary” campaign earlier this month to pay respect to and celebrate his contribution to sectors other than sport. With almost 100,000 signatures, the name of the former player, who died in December, is now in the dictionary.
Pele’s family was given a plaque along with the entry, which Michaelis has already added to its digital version
“pe.lé® adj m+f sm+f That or someone who is out of the ordinary, who or who by virtue of their quality, value or superiority cannot be equaled to anything or anyone, just like Pelé®,” says the dictionary entry which was unveiled at the Summit Sports event, in Pacaembu, on Wednesday. “Edson’s nickname Arantes do Nascimento (1940-2022), considered the greatest athlete of all time; exceptional, incomparable, unique. Examples: He is the Pele of basketball, she is the Pele of tennis, she is the Pele of Brazilian dramaturgy, he is the Pele of medicine”.
Pele’s family was given a plaque along with the entry, which Michaelis has already added to its digital version. The definition will also appear in the next printed edition. “The said campaign in the dictionary is one of the most original we have ever participated… His name in the dictionary is a very important piece of his legacy that will keep Pele alive forever,” said Joe Fraga, executive director of the Foundation.