nkhandwe
/ᵑkʰaⁿdwé/
noun
Origin
Proto-Bantu
*-kandwe — jackal
Overview
Meaning Now
- A jackal, specifically referring to the side-striped jackal or black-backed jackal in various Bantu languages of Central and Southern Africa.
Language path
Proto-Bantu → Nyanja/Chewa
Earliest form
nkhandwe
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term is widespread in the Bantu language family. In many cultures of Malawi and surrounding regions, the nkhandwe is a trickster figure in folktales, often depicted as clever and opportunistic, similar to the fox in European folklore.
Evolution
- Proto-Bantu
*-kandwe
“jackal”
- Nyanja
nkhandwe
“jackal”
Standardized orthography in Chichewa
Connections
Word parts
n-
prefix
class 9 noun prefix
khandwe
root
jackal
Related across languages
Bemba
nkashi
jackal
Tumbuka
jackal
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Related to nkhandwe
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.