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 11:06:06 EDT