Vasco Da Gamma (Noun)
Meaning
Portuguese navigator who led an expedition around the Cape of Good Hope in 1497; he sighted and named Natal on Christmas Day before crossing the Indian Ocean (1469-1524).
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- Vasco da Gama was the first person to navigate a route from Europe to India and back in 1497-1499.
- Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1497, becoming the first European to reach the Indian Ocean.
- In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first European to set eyes on the East African coast of modern-day Mozambique and Kenya.
- The Vasco da Gama bridge in Lisbon, Portugal is one of the longest bridges in Europe, and it is named after the famous navigator.
- The voyages of Vasco da Gama led to the establishment of trade routes between Europe and Asia.