Anansi

American  

[uh-non-see] / əˈnɒn si /

Ananse

noun

1. a mischievous trickster character in folk tales of West Africa and, subsequently, the Caribbean who is both a spider and a man, the son of the creator god Nyame.

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Etymology

Origin of Anansi

First recorded in 1700–10; from Twi ananse “spider,” and the name of a mythological character notable for his cunning and trickery

Example Sentences

And they told stories about characters like Br’er Rabbit and Anansi, tricksters who provided models for overcoming powerful oppressors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026

Anansi Boys was first released as a novel, before being adapted into a BBC Radio 4 six-part show and a Prime Video TV series in 2022.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2025

There are stories there that Mark might have drawn on, and others from beyond its borders: in Anansi stories and Ghanaian folk tales, for example.

From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2023

The novel is told in alternating points of view, shifting between each sister, and also a third, unnamed narrator who sounds a lot like what Anansi might sound like.

From New York Times • Mar. 28, 2023

Anansi looked unsure but laid his staff on the ground.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia