According to Portuguese popular beliefs, Almajonas are anthropomorphic female characters that lost souls become. These beings essentially appear to have been an adaptation of the main elements of the Greek Myth of the Amazons. Very little is now known about them, but at one point in the past their Portuguese name was a synonym of "well-fed", perhaps given the fact they were allegedly presented in local stories as very big and fat. Besides, in their feminine form they also had very big breasts — they used to carry babies on their backs and pull their breasts to the back, in order to feed children while in such infrequent positions.

It also deserves to be noted that their husbands were sometimes known as Alamões, the origin of their name is unknown, it is only reported that they were very tall.