Etymology

mzungu

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Today it means: A white person. Full definition →

First used 19th c.Swahili mzung ← Common Bantu *mʊ̀díʊ́ngʊ̀
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The story

  1. Common Bantu*mʊ̀díʊ́ngʊ̀
  2. Swahilimzung
  3. English todaymzungu

Borrowed from Swahili mzungu, from Common Bantu *mʊ̀díʊ́ngʊ̀.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. A white person.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.