fisi

/ˈfiːsi/

noun

Origin

Proto-Bantu

*pisi — hyena

Overview

Meaning Now

A hyena, typically referring to the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta).
In some metaphorical contexts, a greedy, treacherous, or cowardly person.

Language path

Proto-Bantu → Nyanja/Chewa

Earliest form

*pisi

Earliest period

Pre-colonial

Journey

The 'fisi' is a significant figure in many Bantu-speaking cultures of Southern and Eastern Africa, often portrayed in folklore as a greedy scavenger or a creature associated with witchcraft and grave-robbing.

Evolution

Proto-Bantu
*pisi
“hyena”
Nyanja
fisi
“hyena”
Consonant shift from p to f

Connections

Word parts

fisi

root

hyena

Related across languages

Swahili
fisi
hyena
Zulu
impisi
hyena

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Related to fisi

nkhandwe
chilungamo
dzuwa
mpongozi

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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.