mzee
English edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
- (East Africa) An elder (old person).
- 2003, Ward S Just, The American Ambassador:
- ...every President since Teddy Roosevelt saw Africa in the faces of her mzees, in their English suits or tribal robes...
- 2005, Ernest Hemingway, Robert William Lewis, Under Kilimanjaro:
- It is difficult to be both and the older mzees resent the irregularity of the position.
- 2006, Edward I Steinhart, Black poachers, white hunters: a social history of hunting in colonial Kenya:
- ...we arranged an impromptu interview with this reluctant and less than candid local mzee, who lived near the Tsavo boundary.
Synonyms edit
- senior, senior citizen; see also Thesaurus:old person
Anagrams edit
Swahili edit
Etymology edit
From -zee (“old”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
mzee (m-wa class, plural wazee)
- elder, respected old person
- title of respect to anyone older than oneself, including parents
Descendants edit
Adjective edit
mzee