Agĩkũyũ
/aɣĩkũjũ/noun
The self-designation of the Kikuyu people of Kenya, and sometimes the name of their language.
Did you know?In Kikuyu tradition, the mugumo fig tree, or mũkũyũ, has carried spiritual significance and has been associated with sacred places and ritual practice.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Gikuyu
Agĩkũyũ
“The self-name of the Kikuyu people”
Precolonial period
Gikuyu
Mũkũyũ
“The mugumo fig tree, traditionally associated with Kikuyu identity”
19th Century
Kikuyu
Gĩkũyũ
“The Kikuyu people or their language in indigenous usage”
19th–20th Century
English
Kikuyu
“English rendering of the ethnonym and language name”
Modern English
English
Agikuyu
“A standardized English spelling of the community’s self-designation”