Thembu

T1H4E1M3B3U1

noun

A member of a certain South African tribe that speak Xhosa and live in Thembuland.

OriginZulu umThembu →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounThembu (plural Thembu or Thembus)

plural Thembus · alternative Tembu · alternative Thimbu

  1. A member of a certain South African tribe that speak Xhosa and live in Thembuland.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
amatembu

Origin

  1. ZuluumThembu“a Thembu”
  2. EnglishThembu

From Zulu umThembu (“a Thembu”).

More words from Zulu

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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