Muthi
/ˈmuː.ti/noun
A traditional medicine, charm, or medicinal substance, especially in southern African usage.
Did you know?In isiZulu, umuthi can refer both to a tree and to medicine, reflecting the importance of plant-based healing in traditional southern African practices.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
Proto-Bantu
*mùtí
“Tree or wood; a reconstructed ancestral form associated with plant material”
Early Nguni
Nguni
*umuthi
“A tree, plant, or medicinal substance”
Precolonial period
isiZulu
umuthi
“Tree; medicine; a substance used for healing or ritual purposes”
19th Century
South African English
muthi
“Traditional medicine or magical medicinal substance, borrowed from Nguni languages”
Modern English
English
muthi
“Traditional medicine, charm, or medicinal preparation in southern African contexts”