assegai

Or as·sa·gai

[as-uh-gahy]

noun

plural

assegais 

1. the slender javelin or spear of the Bantu-speaking people of southern Africa.

2. a southern African tree, Curtisia dentata, of the dogwood family, from whose wood such spears are made.

verb (used with object)

assegaied, assegaiing 

1. to pierce with an assegai.

assegai

/ ˈæsəˌɡaɪ /

noun

1. a southern African cornaceous tree, Curtisia faginea, the wood of which is used for making spears

2. a sharp light spear, esp one made of this wood

Word History and Origins

Origin of assegai¹

First recorded in 1615–25; earlier azagaia, from Portuguese, from Arabic az zaghāyah, equivalent to al “the” + Berber zaghāyah “assegai”

Word History and Origins

Origin of assegai¹

C17: from Portuguese azagaia, from Arabic az zaghāyah, from al the + zaghāyah assegai, from Berber

Example Sentences

They have brought with them a traditional Zulu assegai spear and a British boot plate, which was found on the battlefield, for the museum.

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The old man was a famous ingcibi, a circumcision expert, from Gcalekaland, who would use his assegai to change us from boys to men with a single blow.

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Many of the natives were shot or cut down, while several of the burghers received assegai wounds.

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Their knob-kerries were held at the ready, their shields across their bodies, and each had shifted his assegai to the position used in battle.

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His giraffe hide sandals, not needed till the thorns were traversed, and his little skin cloak, neatly folded, were fastened to one end of his assegai.

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