Yoruba

noun

Yor·​u·​ba ˈyȯr-ə-bə How to pronounce Yoruba (audio)
plural Yoruba or Yorubas
: a Niger-Congo language of southwestern Nigeria and parts of Benin and Togo
also : a member of any of the Yoruba-speaking peoples of this region
Yoruban noun or adjective

Word History

Etymology

Yoruba Yorùbá

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Yoruba was in 1841

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Cite this Entry

“Yoruba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Yoruba. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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