Chewa
/ˈtʃeɪwə/noun
A Bantu language and ethnic group primarily associated with Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique.
Did you know?Chewa is part of the Bantu language family, and its name is used for both the people and their language, reflecting a long African naming tradition where language and identity are deeply linked.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial era
Bantu
Chewa
“An ethnolinguistic name used by a people in south-central Africa”
19th Century
English
Chewa
“Adopted into English as an ethnonym and language name from local use”
20th Century
English
Chewa language
“Used in linguistic and ethnographic writing for the language of the Chewa people”
Modern English
English
Chewa
“The name of a major ethnic group and Bantu language in Malawi and neighboring countries”
Explore more surprising origins