Swahili nouns, Class 7 - nouns indicating similarity or manner

kisukari `very sweet banana'

sukari `sugar'

kipolepole `kind of butterfly'

polepole `slowly'

king'ong'o `nasal speech' [probably onomatopoetic]

names of languages, e.g. kiswahili

kisagaunga `crab that digs itself into the sand'

-saga `grind' + unga `flour'

kimulimuli `firefly'

-mulika `shine'

kichoma mguu `herb with barbed seeds'

-choma `pierce' + mguu `foot/leg'

kichwa `head'

From Common Bantu *-cua `termite'; meaning changed to `termite mound' by metonymic extension, then to `head' by metaphoric extension, N + H

kisamli `Pemba coconut palm, nuts only used for drinking'

samli `ghee, clarified butter'

kizuu `evil spirit that enters homes in the form of a rat'

-zua `bore a hole, as a rat does'

kinyozi 'barber'

From -nyoa 'to shave off hair'

kichinja mimba 'youngest child, last born'

From -chinja 'cut' + mimba 'conception'. [Note that this also fits into the "immature beings" category.]

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Last Modified: Monday, 24-Apr-1995 11:13:43 EDT