Nilo-Saharan
/ˌniːloʊ səˈhɑːrən/noun
A proposed language phylum comprising numerous languages spoken across parts of northeastern, central, and eastern Africa.
Did you know?The term was popularized by linguist Joseph Greenberg in 1963, but whether Nilo-Saharan represents a single genetic language family remains controversial among specialists.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egypt
Egyptian
Iteru
“The river; an ancient Egyptian name for the Nile”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Neîlos
“The Nile River, borrowed or adapted from an Egyptian form”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ṣaḥrāʾ
“Desert, literally a barren or tawny expanse; the source of Sahara”
19th–20th Century
English
Nilo-Saharan
“A geographical-linguistic label referring to languages associated with the Nile region and the Sahara”
1963
English
Nilo-Saharan
“A proposed genetic grouping of African languages, formalized and widely popularized by Joseph Greenberg”
Modern English
English
Nilo-Saharan
“A disputed classification covering languages spoken across a broad belt of Africa”