Xhosa
Americannoun
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Xhosas,
plural
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Xhosa
plural
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a member of a Nguni people of eastern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa.
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the Bantu language of the Xhosa.
noun
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a member of a cattle-rearing Negroid people of southern Africa, living chiefly in South Africa
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the language of this people, belonging to the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo family: one of the Nguni languages, closely related to Swazi and Zulu and characterized by several clicks in its sound system
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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.
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On a mission to promote South African culture and the traditions of the Xhosa people, Ngxokolo counts Michelle Obama and Beyonce as fans.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
He translates the song’s lyrics from Zulu and Xhosa, two of South Africa’s 12 national languages, and offers a broader critique on the film.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
Ms Nayimuli said that while growing up she would constantly speak Xhosa, her mother tongue and one of South Africa’s official languages, to “prove her South African-ness”.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2024
Using atmospheric soundscapes and traditional Xhosa movement, the performance will feature a single dancer, four vocal soloists and a live local choir.
From New York Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
After English, Xhosa was what we spoke around the house.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Zulu's protagonist is a Zulu by the name of Ali Neuman, a survivor of inter-tribal brutality when Xhosas and Zulus were fighting for dominance as South Africa moved towards democracy.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 30, 2010
Zulus and Xhosas are among the groups were polygamy is practised, but it has largely become a rural phenomenon.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2010
In theory, Matanzima's nation will have a population of nearly 3.3 million Xhosas.
From Time Magazine Archive
My life, and that of most Xhosas at the time, was shaped by custom, ritual, and taboo.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Despite the proselytizing of the Mbekela brothers, my father remained aloof from Christianity and instead reserved his own faith for the great spirit of the Xhosas, Qamata, the God of his fathers.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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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.
