chilungamo
/t͡ʃi.lu.ŋa.mo/
noun
Origin
Chichewa
lungama — to be right or straight
Overview
Meaning Now
- righteousness, justice, or fairness
- correctness or truthfulness
Literal older meaning
the state of being just or right
Language path
Proto-Bantu → Chichewa
Earliest form
chilungamo
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The concept of chilungamo is central to Chichewa philosophy and cultural morality, representing not only legal justice but also the ethical alignment of an individual with their community.
Evolution
- Proto-Bantu
*dʊŋɡ-
“to be correct or straight”
- Chichewa
lungama
“to be righteous”
verb root
- Modern Chichewa
chilungamo
“righteousness”
Class 7 noun derived from verb
Connections
Word parts
chi-
prefix
class 7 noun prefix
lungam
root
straight, right, just
-o
suffix
deverbal noun ending
Related across languages
Tumbuka
righteousness
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Related to chilungamo
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.