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indaba

[in-dah-bah]
See more synonyms for indaba on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a conference or consultation between or with native peoples of South Africa.
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Origin of indaba

1890–95; < Zulu indaba, izindaba (with implosive b) matter for discussion, affair, account
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for indaba

Historical Examples

  • Well take the grog in and smoke a final pipe or two over our indaba.

    A Secret of the Lebombo

    Bertram Mitford

  • Cronje stopped and cantered back again, seeming to hold an indaba with his petty officers.

  • Bowls of tywala were handed round, and then, sitting in a half circle in front of him, the indaba commenced.

    The Induna's Wife

    Bertram Mitford

  • The nature of that errand stood revealed in the indaba then being held between the two opposing parties.

  • The indaba had dropped; but now Pandulu, who had spoken but little before, seemed anxious to revive it.

    Forging the Blades

    Bertram Mitford

British Dictionary definitions for indaba

Indaba

noun
  1. anthropol history (among Bantu peoples of southern Africa) a meeting to discuss a serious topic
  2. Southern African informal a matter of concern or for discussion
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Word Origin

C19: from Zulu: topic
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012