sangoma

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A (usually female) traditional healer or herbalist, or witch doctor.

Pronunciation

/sæŋˈɡəʊmə/ /-ˈɡɔː-/ /sæŋˈɡoʊmə/ /-ˈɡɔ-/ En-us-sangoma.mp3

Word forms

sangoma sangomas

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Bantu *ngòmà Zulu íngoma Zulu isángomabor. English sangoma Borrowed from Zulu isángoma (“diviner, witch doctor, sangoma”), possibly from i- + sa- (prefix meaning ‘of’) + íngoma (“dance song performed at a festival; hymn”). The English word is cognate with Afrikaans sangoma, Swazi sángoma.

Synonyms

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