datu

American  

[dah-too] / ˈdɑ tu /

noun

datu, plural datus plural

1. (in the Philippines) a Native chief.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• datu
  plural
• datus
  plural

Etymology

Origin of datu

First recorded in 1925–30; from Tagalog datu, dato “landowner, head of a clan or tribe”; akin to dato ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

datu datus

He says the chests were given to him by a datu, or tribal chief.

From BusinessWeek ● Jan. 18, 2012

Therefore they must wait until every datu from the farthest Moro island had arrived.

From Time Magazine Archive

Even when carried out with the connivance of a datu or a warrior chief, it has on occasions proved fatal, so I was assured.

From The Manóbos of Mindanáo Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume XXIII, First Memoir by Garvan, John M.

If a man has been a datu on earth, his spirits have like rank in the other life, but go to the same place as those of common people.

From The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao The R. F. Cummings Philippine Expedition by Cole, Fay-Cooper

Should the datu be without an heir, or the son be considered inefficient, the under chiefs and wise old men may choose a leader from among their number.

From The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao The R. F. Cummings Philippine Expedition by Cole, Fay-Cooper

Many Moro datus, maharajahs, panglimas and imams retired to their secret strongholds to prepare for the struggle.

From Time Magazine Archive

On the same day that the National Assembly met in Manila the datus assembled at Jolo, determined to make Rajamuda Sultan.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Sooloo seas are comparatively little frequented by them, as they are unable to dispose of the produce of their fisheries for want of a market, and fear the exactions of the datus.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century, Volume XLIII, 1670-1700 by Various

The Ruma Bechara was then reduced until it contained but six of the principal datus, who assumed the power of controlling the state.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century, Volume XLIII, 1670-1700 by Various

The Scriptures describe the Holy Ghost, by whom the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, as something conferred upon us, per spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis.

From The Catholic World; Volume I, Issues 1-6 A Monthly Eclectic Magazine by Rameur, E.