galamsey
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of galamsey
First recorded in 1980–85; dialectal abbreviation of gather them and sell
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The popularity of galamsey was borne out by a survey conducted by WaterAid in communities involved in illegal mining in Ghana’s Upper East Region, particularly the Bongo and Bawku West districts.
From BBC • Oct. 19, 2024
He also points to an upsurge in small-scale mining in the area, known locally as galamsey, that’s polluted the water.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 18, 2024
I kept waiting for him to mention "galamsey", the Ghanaian word for illegal mining, which epitomizes our destruction of the environment.
From BBC • Nov. 6, 2018
Mercury poisoning also affects people who live near galamsey sites through drinking water and fish consumption.
From National Geographic • Mar. 6, 2018
I wondered how he’d gone about it, since we were always hearing how galamsey was illegal, but no one seemed to care.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
