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Nuer

American  
[noo-er] / ˈnu ər /

noun

  • Nuers,
    plural
  • Nuerer
    plural
  1. a member of a tribal people who live along the Nile in southern Sudan and subsist chiefly by raising cattle.

  2. the Nilotic language of the Nuer people.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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:

The conflict in has largely pitted the two largest ethnic groups against each other -- the Dinka aligned mostly with Kiir, and the Nuer mostly with Machar.

From Barron's Feb. 25, 2026

Thursday’s clashes in the Malakal camp occurred between members of the Shilluk and Nuer ethnic groups, a local representative of the displaced people told The Associated Press.

From Seattle Times Jun. 9, 2023

The country, over the last years, has seen the limits of the peace deal forged between South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, a Dinka, and his Nuer deputy, Riek Machar.

From Washington Post Feb. 4, 2023

The battle for control mainly raged between the supporters of President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and supporters of the First Vice-President Riek Machar, a Nuer.

From BBC Feb. 2, 2023

Another Nuer technique was to tie a ring of thorns around a calf’s mouth, so that it pricks the mother and causes her to resist suckling.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Most of the residents are Nuers, like Mr Machar, who have been stranded here since the civil war began.

From Economist Jan. 5, 2017

Mr. Machar says Mr. Deng has no command of the rebel troops nor authorization to represent Nuers in government.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 19, 2016

Mr Machar and Gen Gadet are both ethnic Nuers, but they have not always fought on the same side in the past.

From BBC Dec. 20, 2013

Mr Machar and Gen Gadet are both ethnic Nuers, but they haven't always fought on the same side in the past.

From BBC Dec. 19, 2013

Over the past few months, hostilities have raged between the Afars and Tigreans, the Gurages and Wolaytas, the Anuaks and Nuers, and the Oromos and Tigreans.

From Time Magazine Archive

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