Anansi

See also: anansi

English

Alternative forms

• Ananse, Anancy, Anansy

Etymology

From Akan (and Kromanti) ananse (“spider”).

Proper noun

Anansi

1. A trickster spider (though sometimes taking human form), one of the primary characters in West African and Caribbean folklore.

Translations

trickster spider in West African and Caribbean folklore

• French: Anansi m
• Jamaican Creole: Anansi
• Papiamentu: Nanzi
• Polish: Anansi (pl) m
• Portuguese: Anansi m

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.nɑ̃.si/, /a.nan.si/

Proper noun

Anansi m

1. (mythology) Anansi (trickster spider in West African and Caribbean folklore)

Jamaican Creole

Alternative forms

• Ananse, Anancy, Anansy

Etymology

Derived from Akan ananse (“spider”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aˈnansi/
• Hyphenation: A‧nan‧si

Proper noun

Anansi

1. Anansi (trickster spider in West African and Caribbean folklore)
   • 1984, Laura Tanna, Jamaican Folk Tales and Oral Histories, →ISBN, page 99:

     “Anansi gwan an gwan an gwan [ chops with arm ] til im bill off de whole pasture clean.”

     Anansi kept on going [ chops with arm ] until he'd used his machete to clear the entire pasture.

Portuguese

Etymology

Ultimately from Akan ananse (“spider”).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.nɐ̃ˈsi/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.nɐ̃ˈsi/

Proper noun

Anansi m

1. (mythology) Anansi (trickster spider in West African and Caribbean folklore)

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

From anansi, from Akan ananse (“spider”).

Proper noun

Anansi

1. (mythology) Anansi (trickster spider in West African and Caribbean folklore)