Songhai

noun

Son·​ghai
säŋˈgī
variants or less commonly Songhoi or Songoi
-ˈgȯi
or Songhay
-ˈgī
plural Songhai or Songhais
1
a
: 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 4 Dec. 2024.

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