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Matabele

American  
[mat-uh-bee-lee] / ˌmæt əˈbi li /

noun

Matabeles, plural Matabele plural
  1. Ndebele.


Matabele British  
/ ˌmætəˈbiːlɪ, -ˈbɛlɪ /

noun

  1. Now known as: Ndebele.  a member of a formerly warlike people of southern Africa, now living in Zimbabwe: driven out of the Transvaal by the Boers in 1837

  2. the language of this people, belonging to the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo family

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of Matabele

First recorded in 1815–25

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.

See Examples For:

He also wants to identify and analyse the antibiotics used by Matabele ants in cooperation with chemistry research groups.

From Science Daily Jan. 2, 2024

In Mozambique, Wilson studied the Matabele ant, a species that favors termites as food.

From Washington Post Oct. 8, 2020

Matabele ants, native to sub-Saharan Africa, lay siege to the termite colonies they eat by the hundreds, braving the potentially life-threatening bites of large soldier termites that defend them.

From National Geographic Feb. 13, 2018

Then, in the 1940s, the trade unions formed in Bulawayo were led by shop stewards who also captained the Zimbabwean teams Matabele Highlanders and Red Army.

From The Guardian May 28, 2015

She knew it didn’t make sense that she, a Shona child, had a Matabele mother.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

As soon as the Matabeles took refuge in the Matopos he boldly went out to parley with them.

From An African Adventure by Marcosson, Isaac Frederick

For a hundred years before the white settlers came, the Matabeles and the Mashonas raised live stock.

From An African Adventure by Marcosson, Isaac Frederick

After two months of negotiating the Matabeles were appeased and permanent peace, so far as the natives were concerned, dawned in Rhodesia.

From An African Adventure by Marcosson, Isaac Frederick

At that time it was doubtful if the Zulus, Matabeles, and Basutos were to be trusted, and consequently the position of the Colonel in supreme command was one of great responsibility.

From South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 6) From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899 by Creswicke, Louis

Just as soon as it was unveiled the Matabeles expressed considerable astonishment over it.

From An African Adventure by Marcosson, Isaac Frederick

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