Wiktionary

wasiwasi

Swahili

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Arabic وَسْوَاس (waswās).[1]

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (Kenya):(file)

Noun

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wasiwasi (u class, no plural)

  1. worry, anxiety, confusion

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 305 Nr. 2935
  • Beckerleg, Susan (1994 September) “Medical Pluralism and Islam in Swahili Communities in Kenya”, in Medical Anthropology Quarterly‎[1], volume 8, number 3, page 307 of 299-313:
    Blood is associated with strength, loudness, and speed. Weak blood causes bodily weakness and also induces psychological symptoms such as paranoia, hypochondria, and general anxiety, collectively known as wasi-wasi, a term derived from the Arabic meaning "whispering," which neatly summarizes the disquiet of the sufferer.
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