Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

oba

American  
[aw-buh] / ˈɔ bə /

noun

  1. a hereditary tribal ruler among various peoples in the Benin region of western Africa.


oba British  
/ ˈɔːbɑː, -bə /

noun

  1. (in W Africa) a Yoruba chief or ruler

"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

Etymology

Origin of oba

First recorded in 1900–05, oba is from the Edo word ɔ́bá

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 traditional ruler of the town, known as an oba, is eagerly awaiting the results of scientific studies.

From BBC • May 9, 2024

They were young women who played mainly Yoruba gospel music while they worked on the piece, stitching all the elements together, as the image of the oba gradually materialised on the monumental cloth-work.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2022

The British were looking for excuses to attack Benin, Nigerian historians say, because the oba had too much power.

From New York Times • Jun. 23, 2021

The oba, or king, would carry masks like the ones of Queen Idia during important ceremonies.

From New York Times • Jun. 23, 2021

We hab sarch all oba de place; call out his name in de store-rooms, an’ de coatyard, an’ de cattle closure—ebbery wha we tink of.

From The Death Shot A Story Retold by Reid, Mayne