Kongo

noun

Kon·​go ˈkäŋ-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce Kongo (audio)
plural Kongo or Kongos
1
: a member of a Bantu people of the lower Congo River
2
: the Bantu language of the Kongo people

Examples of Kongo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The most magical detail is a mouthful of teeth made from handmade iron nails, which evoke both Kongo power figures and a very serious scarecrow. Will Heinrich, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Coates starred in an extensive number of film and television projects throughout the 1950s following her Superman success, including Jungle Drums of Africa (1952), Panther Girl of the Kongo (1954) and Girls in Prison (1956). Conor Murray, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Related How Tiffany 'New York' Pollard Changed the Game for Black Women on Reality TV Over the decades, Yoruba, Bantu, Fon, Kongo and other African musical influences introduced polyrhythm and collective gender participation to popular music. Damaly Gonzalez, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023 After Superman, Coates appeared wearing a very short skirt in the Republic serials Jungle Drums of Africa (1952), opposite Clayton Moore of Lone Ranger fame, and in the title role of Panther Girl of the Kongo (1954). Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2023 Among the highest rates of genetic sharing between research participants and Catoctin individuals were people who identified as West Africa's Wolof and Mandinka peoples or Central Africa's Kongo people. Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2023 Moreover, the Fowler’s exhibition didn’t simply show that many African cultures, such as the Dogon of Mali or the Bantu-speaking Kongo, were remarkable blacksmiths. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2023 The new analysis also revealed that some of the individuals descended from the Wolof and Mandinka populations of West Africa and the Kongo people of Central Africa, per the Harvard statement. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Kongo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Kongo was circa 1902

Dictionary Entries Near Kongo

Cite this Entry

“Kongo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Kongo. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Kongo

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