mancala

noun

man·​ca·​la
mänˈkälə,
ˈmäŋkələ
plural -s
: any of various games that are widely played in Africa and southern Asia and in areas influenced by African or Asian cultures and that involve competition between two players in the distribution of pieces (as beans or pebbles) into rows of holes or pockets (as in a board) under various rules that permit accumulation of pieces by capture

called also wari

see chuba

Word History

Etymology

Arabic manqalah, from naqala to move

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near mancala

Cite this Entry

“Mancala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mancala. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!