English

Alternative forms

• muzungu
• umuzungu

Noun

mzungu ‎(plural mzungus or wazungu)

1. (in some African countries) A white person.
   • 1888, Joseph Thomson, E. Harris-Smith, Ulu: an African romance: Volume 1

     I have given my daughter to an mzungu, and he says he will make her like the wives of the white men.

   • 2004, Dan McNickle, Teaching and Hunting in East Africa

     suspicion about an mzungu wanting a copy of the country's constitution

Translations

Swahili

Etymology

Proto-Bantu *jungu, *-dungu. Cognate with Bemba musungu, Kikuyu muthungu, Rwanda-Rundi zungu, Luganda Omuzungu, Shona murungu, Venda mulungu, Zulu lungu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mˈzuŋɡu/

Noun

mzungu (m-wa class, plural wazungu)

1. European, white person

Usage notes

Sometimes considered pejorative; literally translated as "aimless wanderer".

Synonyms

• mweupe