donga

American  

[dong-guh, dawng-guh] / ˈdɒŋ gə, ˈdɔŋ gə /

noun

1. (in an ice shelf ) a small ravine with steep sides.

2. (in South Africa) an eroded ravine; a dry watercourse.

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donga ¹ British  

/ ˈdɒŋɡə /

noun

1. a steep-sided gully created by soil erosion

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donga ² British  

/ ˈdɒŋɡə /

noun

1. (in Papua New Guinea) a house or shelter

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Etymology

Origin of donga

1875–80; < Nguni (compare Zulu u(lu)donga ); perhaps directly < a pidginized form with loss of the class prefix, as Fanagalo donga

Example Sentences

He hurled them across the donga, and they landed in the middle of the street, a few paces from the approaching policeman and his naked captive.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

One night our dingy shack, which had been leaning precipitously on the edge of a donga, collapsed.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

It was perched unpretentiously on the edge of a donga, one of many similar shacks on Eighth Avenue.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Field-Cornet Wessels was ordered to attack it from the town side, and he began, when the sun was already rapidly sinking in the west, to approach it from a donga.

From Through Shot and Flame The Adventures and Experiences of J. D. Kestell Chaplain to President Steyn and General Christian De Wet by Kestell, J. D. (John Daniel)

Only fifty yards away they should have stopped in the hollow—the shallow dry donga of the morning; but they were gone!

From Jock of the Bushveld by Fitzpatrick, Percy, Sir