Is the word fazendeiro the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the literal dictionary definition of "fazendeiro" (a person who owns or works on a farm) is consistent, there is a significant difference in typical usage and semantic context.

In Brazil, "fazendeiro" is a common and culturally significant term used to describe owners or managers of fazendas (large-scale agricultural estates or ranches). In Portugal, the word fazenda is not the standard term for a farm; instead, people use quinta (for small to medium estates) or herdade (for large estates, particularly in the Alentejo region). Furthermore, in Portugal, fazenda can refer to a type of headwear (a hat), which changes the linguistic association of the root word. Consequently, a Portuguese person is much more likely to use terms like agricultor (farmer) or proprietário de uma quinta (owner of an estate) to express the same idea.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. O fazendeiro comprou mais gado para a fazenda. (The rancher bought more cattle for the ranch.)
2. Meu tio é um fazendeiro muito rico. (My uncle is a very wealthy rancher.)
3. O fazendeiro utiliza tecnologia de ponta na plantação. (The farmer uses cutting-edge technology in the plantation.)
4. O fazendeiro mora no interior de Minas Gerais. (The rancher lives in the countryside of Minas Gerais.)
5. Precisamos conversar com o fazendeiro sobre a cerca. (We need to talk to the farmer about the fence.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

1. O agricultor colheu as batatas esta manhã. (The farmer harvested the potatoes this morning.)
2. O proprietário da quinta visitou as vinhas. (The owner of the estate visited the vineyards.)
3. O lavrador trabalha arduamente na terra. (The laborer/farmer works hard on the land.)
4. O dono da herdade tem muitas oliveiras. (The owner of the estate has many olive trees.)
5. Aquele agricultor produz maçãs de alta qualidade. (That farmer produces high-quality apples.)