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Songhai

noun
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Son·​ghai | \ säŋˈgī \
variants: or less commonly Songhoi or Songoi \ -​ˈgȯi \ or Songhay \ -​ˈgī \
plural Songhai or Songhais

Definition of Songhai

1a : a Sudanese people living below Timbuktu in the bend of the Niger that are mostly Muslim
b : a member of such people
2 : the language of the Songhai people used widely as a language of commerce throughout the middle Niger valley
3 : a language family consisting only of Songhai and a few closely related languages or dialects (such as perhaps Dyerma)

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Cite this Entry

“Songhai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Songhai. Accessed 23 May. 2022.

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