This is the 374th most frequent Portuguese word.
esteve
"Esteve" means "was" (third-person singular past tense of "estar").
In this case, 'esteve' conveys a temporary state of being (illness) in the past.
Meu irmão esteve doente na semana passada.
My brother was sick last week.
Here, 'esteve' describes a condition of the event during a certain past moment.
O evento esteve cheio de convidados.
The event was full of guests.
Here, 'esteve' is the past tense of 'estar', used to indicate her past presence at a specific place.