umfaan

noun

um·​faan

ˈəmˌfän

plural -s

: a boy employed in southern Africa to care for small children or perform general work

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans, from Zulu umfana boy, diminutive of umfo man, person

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!