Swahili

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Swahili Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology

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From a noun form of Arabic مَلَكَ (malaka).[1]

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (Kenya):(file)

Noun

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mamlaka (ma class, plural only)

  1. authority (power to enforce rules or give orders)
  2. dominion

Usage notes

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This word is morphologically plural but semantically singular. If a plural sense is required, it may be put in the n class.

References

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  1. ^ Baldi, Sergio (2020 November 30) Dictionary of Arabic Loanwords in the Languages of Central and East Africa (Handbuch der Orientalistik; Erste Abteilung: Der Nahe und der Mittlere Osten; 145), Leiden • Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 281 Nr. 2658