Etymology

abakwetha

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Today it means: A young Xhosa man undergoing the ritual initiation into manhood. Full definition →

First used 19th c.Xhosa abakwetha
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The story

  1. Xhosa · borrowed fromabakwetha
  2. English todayabakwetha

From Xhosa abakwetha, from aba- + kwetha (“initiate”).

Words from the same roots

Xhosaabakwetha all →

amakweta

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. A young Xhosa man undergoing the ritual initiation into manhood.
  • from 19th c. The traditional initiation period into manhood.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.