indaba

in·da·ba
I1N1D2A1B3A1
UK/ɪnˈdɑːbə/US/ɪnˈdɑbə/

noun

A tribal conference held by Nguni leaders.

OriginZulu índaba →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

nounindaba (plural indabas)

plural indabas

  1. South AfricaA tribal conference held by Nguni leaders.
  2. South AfricabroadlyAny conference, discussion, or meeting.
  3. South AfricaChiefly in one's own or someone's indaba: a concern, matter, or problem.
  4. broadlyscoutingAn international conference of Scout leaders.

Origin

  1. Zuluíndaba“affair, issue, matter; piece of news; story”
  2. Englishindaba

Borrowed from Zulu índaba (“affair, issue, matter; piece of news; story”), from ín- (class 9 noun prefix) + -daɓa (stem meaning ‘affair, matter’).

More words from Zulu

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish indaba
  • indabatribal conference held by Nguni leaders
Zulu índaba
  • índaba(South Africa) concern, matter, or problem

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Ibadanbadian
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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