amapakati

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noun

The council or inner circle of advisers of a chief in a Nguni society.

OriginXhosa ama- →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounamapakati (plural amapakatis)

plural amapakatis

  1. The council or inner circle of advisers of a chief in a Nguni society.

    Then our people lived peacefully, under the democratic rule of their kings and their amapakati, and moved freely and confidently up and down the country without let or hindrance.

    1962, Nelson Mandela, Struggle is my Life
  2. A member of a council; a trusted adviser.

    The shrewdness of the Amapakati, or Kaffir advocate.

    1870, C. Hamilton, Life and Sport in South-East Africa

Origin

  1. Xhosaama-
  2. Englishamapakati

From Xhosa ama- (plural noun class marker) + -phakathi (“council”); compare pagati. Attested in English from the 19th century.

More words from Xhosa

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

amapakati. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amapakati

MLA

“amapakati.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amapakati. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “amapakati,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amapakati.

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