Save Type Political Subdivision Usage Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese Pronounced Pron. a-la-GO-us(Brazilian Portuguese) a-la-GO-wus(Brazilian Portuguese) u-lu-GHO-ush(Portuguese) [key·IPA] Meaning & History Plural form of Portuguese alagoa, a variant of lagoa ("lagoon"), referring to the Manguaba (the "southern lagoon") and Mundaú (the "northern lagoon") estuarine lagoons. This is the name of a state of Brazil.