Swahili

noun

Swa·​hi·​li swä-ˈhē-lē 

plural Swahili or Swahilis

1

: a member of a Bantu-speaking people of Zanzibar and the adjacent coast

2

: a Bantu language that is a trade and governmental language over much of East Africa and in the Congo region

Examples of Swahili in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Arab and Swahili traders sailed these waters on dhows, stopping along the coast to exchange goods such as ivory, gold, and spices. — Ali Pantony, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026

Two-thirds of speakers of both Swahili and the South American language Quechua fear the same. — Vincent Owino, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2026

Kumi means 10 in Swahili; this name would act as a nod to mother Kala, since the newborn is her 10th calf. — Usa Today, USA Today, 16 June 2026

The installation ceremony nodded to the role's global reach, with sections in languages, which included Spanish, Swahili and Urdu. — Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Arabic sawāḥil, plural of sāḥil coast

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Swahili

• ideally
• lapilli
• freely
• keeley
• mealy
• seely
• steely
• vilely
• intraperitoneally
• kiswahili
• microvilli

Kids Definition

Swahili

noun

Swa·​hi·​li swä-ˈhē-lē 

plural Swahili or Swahilis

1

: a member of a Bantu-speaking people of Zanzibar and the adjacent coast of Africa

2

: a Bantu language that is a trade and governmental language over much of East Africa and in the Congo region