Zulu

American  

[zoo-loo] / ˈzu lu /

noun

• Zulus,
  plural
• Zulu
  plural

1. a member of a Nguni people living mainly in Natal, Republic of South Africa.

2. the Bantu language of the Zulu.

3. a word used in communications to represent the letter Z.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Zulus or their language.

Zulu British  

/ ˈzuːlʊ, -luː /

noun

1. a member of a tall Negroid people of SE Africa, living chiefly in South Africa, who became dominant during the 19th century due to a warrior-clan system organized by the powerful leader, Shaka

2. the language of this people, belonging to the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo family, closely related to Swazi and Xhosa

3. communications a code word for the letter z

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Zulu
  plural
• Zulus
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Zulu

from Zulu amaZulu people of the sky

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Zulu Zulus

The lawyer said 17 others, including Mundubile's running mate Makebi Zulu, had also been charged with treason.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

Zulu, Mundubile's running mate, is a former lawmaker and a spokesman for the family of late former president Edgar Lungu.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

Mr. Simon is already familiar with the music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a 10-member a capella Zulu choir known for its bass-heavy harmonies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

When the first bus arrived to evacuate some of them on Sunday, the crowds chanted in Zulu "Siyahamba", meaning "We're leaving".

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Lembede, whose father was an illiterate Zulu peasant from Natal, had trained as a teacher at Adam’s College, an American Board of Missions institution.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

KwaZulu was classified as a "homeland", a semi-autonomous area reserved for ethnic Zulus, which existed within Natal province.

From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026

Proud, ambitious, descended from royalty and intolerant of criticism, Buthelezi was a hereditary chief of the Zulus, South Africa’s largest ethnic group.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2023

“I commit to develop the country and the economy and promoting peace and reconciliation first among the Zulus and also among the South Africans and Africans,” King Misuzulu said after taking his oath.

From Reuters ● Oct. 29, 2022

The head of the Zulus will control a $3.9 million annual budget provided by the South African government.

From New York Times ● Aug. 18, 2022

At daybreak I crossed from Volksrust to Natal, the country of Cetywayo, the last independent king of the Zulus, whose troops had defeated a British column at Isandhlwana in 1879.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela