Xhosa

noun

Xho·​sa ˈḵō-sə  ˈhō- 

ˈkō-

or ˈḵȯ-sə, 

ˈhȯ-, 

ˈkȯ-

1

: a member of a Bantu-speaking people of Eastern Cape province

2

: a Bantu language of the Xhosas

Examples of Xhosa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At 28, English tenor saxophonist Xhosa Cole is a star in the making. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Dec. 2025

Black South Africans—predominantly Zulu and Xhosa—have led the country ever since, with some white citizens, including farmers, alleging oppression at the hands of the state. — Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

Safari relies on your Apple device's native translation feature, which supports around 17 languages as of this writing, whereas Google can translate between over 100 languages, including less common ones, such as Bambara, Kinyarwanda, and Xhosa. — PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025

In her studio, the sacred becomes architectural, shaped by the Xhosa concept of umsamo. — Alexander-Julian Gibbson, Vogue, 14 May 2025

His client’s name included the distinctive click of languages such as Xhosa and Zulu. — Kurt Shillinger, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Apr. 2025

Both have a love for Christ and have a tremendous desire to share the gospel with the Xhosa people of South Africa. — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Xhosa -xhosa (as in umXhosa a Xhosa person)

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Xhosa

• sclerotia