Mfecane

M3F4E1C3A1N1E1

proper noun

A period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous ethnic communities in southern Africa between 1815 and about 1840.

OriginZulu mfecane →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. historicalA period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous ethnic communities in southern Africa between 1815 and about 1840.

Origin

  1. Zulumfecane“crushing, scattering”
  2. EnglishMfecane

From Zulu mfecane (“crushing, scattering”).

More words from Zulu

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Mfecane. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mfecane

MLA

“Mfecane.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mfecane. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Mfecane,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mfecane.

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