Etymology

matatu

ma·ta·tu
M3A1T1A1T1U1

Today it means: A minivan used as a shared taxi, especially one operating without a licence. Full definition →

Swahili matat ← Proto-Bantu *mà-
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The story

  1. Proto-Bantu*mà-
  2. Swahilima-
  3. Swahilimatat
  4. English todaymatatu

Borrowed from Swahili matatu, from ma- + -tatu (“three”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.