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Ndebele

American  
[uhn-duh-bee-lee] / ən dəˈbi li /

noun

Ndebeles plural
  1. Also called Matabele.  a member of a Nguni people of the Transvaal and Zimbabwe.

  2. the Bantu language of these people.


Ndebele British  
/ ənˈdɛbɛle /

noun

  1. a member of a Negroid people of Zimbabwe See also Matabele

  2. the language of this people, belonging to the Bantu grouping 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

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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 ancient Ndebele interacted with the nomadic San, whose descendants still live in some parts of Zimbabwe and in South Africa.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 27, 2024

Zimbabwe’s state radio and a host of community stations offer broadcasts in Shona, Ndebele and 12 other local languages, he said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2023

Two languages — Navajo and Ndebele — once all but forbidden by conquerors, and given full throat.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2023

Chris speaks English but neither of Zimbabwe's two main local languages, Shona or Ndebele.

From BBC • Jul. 27, 2021

At the time, black South Africans outnumbered white South Africans nearly five to one, yet we were divided into different tribes with different languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Sotho, Venda, Ndebele, Tsonga, Pedi, and more.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

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