Malawi

American  

[muh-lah-wee] / məˈlɑ wi /

noun

1. Formerly Nyasaland.  a republic in southeastern Africa, on the western and southern shores of Lake Malawi: formerly a British protectorate and part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; gained independence July 6, 1964; a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 49,177 sq. mi. (127,368 sq. km). Lilongwe.

2. Formerly Nyasa,.  Formerly Nyassa.  Lake Malawi, a lake in southeastern Africa, between Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. About 11,000 sq. mi. (28,500 sq. km).

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Malawi British  

/ məˈlɑːwɪ /

noun

1. Former name: Nyasaland.  a republic in E central Africa: established as a British protectorate in 1891; became independent in 1964 and a republic, within the Commonwealth, in 1966; lies along the Great Rift Valley, with Lake Nyasa (Malawi) along the E border, the Nyika Plateau in the northwest, and the Shire (or Shiré) Highlands in the southeast. Official language: Chichewa; English and various other Bantu languages are also widely spoken. Religion: Christian majority, Muslim, and animist minorities. Currency: kwacha. Capital: Lilongwe. Pop: 16 777 547 (2013 est). Area: 118 484 sq km (45 747 sq miles)

2. the Malawi name for (Lake) Nyasa

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Malawi Cultural  

1. Republic in southeast Africa, bordered by Tanzania to the north, Mozambique to the east and south, and Zambia to the west. It became independent in 1964.

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Other Word Forms

• Malawian
  adjective

Example Sentences

But some African governments, including Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi, aren’t willing to rely on promises and have sent planes or buses to South Africa to repatriate their citizens.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026

She aims to go back to Malawi on one of the buses the Malawian consulate has been arranging with the help of denotations for its desperate citizens to leave Durban.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

Growing security fears after businesses were looted and foreigners targeted have prompted citizens of Nigeria, Malawi, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to accept voluntary repatriation organised by their governments.

From Barron's • Jun. 14, 2026

Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, saying that they were taking the anti-migrant threats seriously.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026

In Malawi, graves are not just six-feet-deep open pits like those dug in Western countries.

From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba