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
Stepping into it tells the story of centuries of trade, conquest, and resilience on the Swahili Coast.
—
Emese MacZko, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
In Stone Town, a Swahili coastal trading town with UNESCO status, every corner is a story.
—Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024
Others include places threatened by climate change, such as heritage sites on the Swahili Coast of East Africa.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
Climate change threatens Africa's Swahili Coast and 66 historic lighthouses on the coast of Maine.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 15 Jan. 2025
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Emese MacZko, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
In Stone Town, a Swahili coastal trading town with UNESCO status, every corner is a story.
—Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024
Others include places threatened by climate change, such as heritage sites on the Swahili Coast of East Africa.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
Climate change threatens Africa's Swahili Coast and 66 historic lighthouses on the coast of Maine.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Swahili
Cite this Entry
“Swahili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Swahili. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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