mzungu
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /(ə)mˈzʊnɡuː/
Noun
mzungu (plural mzungus or wazungu)
- (East Africa) A white person. [from 19th c.]
- 1888, Joseph Thomson, E. Harris-Smith, Ulu: an African romance: Volume 1:
- I have given my daughter to an mzungu, and he says he will make her like the wives of the white men.
- 2004, Dan McNickle, Teaching and Hunting in East Africa:
- suspicion about an mzungu wanting a copy of the country's constitution
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
mzungu
Chichewa
Etymology
An early borrowing from another African language, ultimately from Common Bantu *mʊ̀jʊ́ngʊ̀.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /mˈzu.ᵑɡu/
Noun
mzungu class 1 (plural azungu class 2)
- white person
Swahili
Etymology
From Common Bantu *mʊ̀díʊ́ngʊ̀.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /mˈzu.ᵑɡu/
Audio (Kenya): (file)
Noun
mzungu class I (plural wazungu class II)
- European, white person
- Synonym: mweupe
- (sometimes derogatory) rich person (who is not white)