Somali
Americannoun
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Somalis,
plural
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Somali
plural
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a member of a people speaking a Cushitic language and living primarily in Somalia, Somaliland, and adjacent regions.
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the Cushitic language of the Somali ethnic group.
adjective
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of or relating to Somalia, its people, or their language.
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of or relating to the Somali ethnic group or their language.
noun
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a member of a tall dark-skinned people inhabiting Somalia
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the language of this people, belonging to the Cushitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Somali
First recorded in 1800–10 as Samaulies (plural); from Somali Soomaali, a self-designation
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:
Nairobi is undergoing a rapid construction boom, with high-rise buildings appearing all over the city, particularly in Eastleigh which is known for its busy market areas and as a hub for the Somali community.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Like any group of people, the Somali immigrant community contains good and bad people in it, but on the whole, their very existence is a testament to human tenacity.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Omar says she no longer has her birth certificate, and records with the Somali government are unsurprisingly unavailable, given the country’s decades of internal turmoil.
From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2026
The hijacked tanker was anchored near the Somali coast between the fishing towns of Xaafun and Bander Beyla.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
An assemblage of agricultural tribes from the area of East Africa now comprising Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique, the Somali Bantu had been persecuted for more than three hundred years.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
Ilyas Adam, a human rights legal consultant with the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders, says such mental anguish is widespread among young Somalis.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
DHS faces a new lawsuit over the apparent fast-track policy for Somalis, brought by Minnesota-based law firm Hines Immigration Law and Minneapolis-based group Advocates for Human Rights.
From Slate ● Mar. 27, 2026
He understands that because of his social media presence he may get opportunities not available to other Somalis deported - or threatened with deportation - from the US.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2025
In this way, the memes and satire are likely helping young Somalis in the U.S. reaffirm their Americanness.
From Salon ● Dec. 8, 2025
Liberians, for example, often moved to Iowa; Somalis to Minneapolis or Lewiston, Maine; and Sudanese to Omaha, Nebraska, to seek out the support of communities of family, friends, and countrymen.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
