Engsh

E1N1G2S1H4

proper noun

A cant that originated in Nairobi, Kenya in the 1980s, based on English mixed with Swahili and other local languages.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A cant that originated in Nairobi, Kenya in the 1980s, based on English mixed with Swahili and other local languages.

Origin

Formed from a reorganisation of the word Sheng, in turn a blend of Swahili + English.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

sheng
Cite this entry
APA

Engsh. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Engsh

MLA

“Engsh.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Engsh. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Engsh,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Engsh.

Source: Engsh on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.