Etymology

Kwanzaa

K5W4A1N1Z10A1A1

Today it means: A week-long African-American cultural holiday held between December 26 and January 1. Full definition →

Swahili kwanza
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The story

  1. Swahili · borrowed fromkwanza
  2. Swahili · borrowed fromkwanza
  3. English todayKwanzaa

Coined by Maulana Karenga from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza (“first fruits”). The additional “a” was added to “Kwanza” so that the word would have seven letters, one for each of the Seven Principles of Blackness.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.