Swahili

[swah-hee-lee]

noun

plural

Swahilis ,

plural

Swahili .

1. a member of a Bantu people of Zanzibar and the neighboring coast of Africa.

2. Also Kiswahili or ki-Swahili the Bantu language of the Swahili people, used also as a lingua franca in Tanzania, Kenya, and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Swahili

/ swɑːˈhiːlɪ /

noun

1. Also called: Kiswahili. a language of E Africa that is an official language of Kenya and Tanzania and is widely used as a lingua franca throughout E and central Africa. It is a member of the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo family, originally spoken in Zanzibar, and has a large number of loan words taken from Arabic and other languages

2. Also called: Mswahili.  Waswahili. a member of a people speaking this language, living chiefly in Zanzibar

adjective

1. of or relating to the Swahilis or their language

Other Word Forms

• Swahilian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Swahili¹

First recorded in 1810–15; from Swahili, from Arabic sawāḥiliy “of or pertaining to the coast,” equivalent to sawāḥil, plural of sāḥil “coast” + -iy adjective and noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of Swahili¹

C19: from Arabic sawāhil coasts

Example Sentences

To hear “Summertime” in Swahili, a beautiful language for song, is indescribably touching.

From Los Angeles Times

Spring greens are known as "sukumawiki", meaning "stretch the week" in Swahili, reflecting how they have become a daily staple.

From BBC

His candid interview in heartfelt Swahili and his refusal to stay silent touched Kenyans and the hashtag #JusticeForAlbertOjwang immediately began trending, with calls for an investigation.

From BBC

One that has stood out is Zakayo - Swahili for the name Zaccheaus, a Biblical figure who is portrayed as a greedy tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus.

From BBC

The CIA recruited Slotkin, who is fluent in Arabic and Swahili, shortly after she earned a graduate degree in international affairs at Columbia University in New York City.

From BBC