Choma
/ˈtʃoʊ.mə/noun
A Swahili-derived East African term for meat roasted or grilled over an open fire, especially nyama choma.
Did you know?In East African food culture, nyama choma—literally “roasted meat”—is associated with social gathering, hospitality, and open-fire cooking rather than occult practice.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
Proto-Bantu
*cóm-
“To burn or roast; reconstructed Bantu root associated with cooking by fire.”
Precolonial period
Bantu languages
choma
“Burn, roast, or grill; forms with related meanings occur across several Bantu languages.”
19th Century
Swahili
choma
“To burn or roast; the verb used for cooking meat over fire.”
20th Century
Swahili
nyama choma
“Roasted meat; literally “meat roast.””
Modern English
English
choma
“An East African-style grilled-meat dish or open-fire barbecue, chiefly used in cultural and culinary contexts.”