Nkosi
/ŋˈkóː.si/noun
A Nguni word meaning 'king,' 'chief,' or 'lord,' and also used as a respectful address or title.
Did you know?In Zulu, Xhosa, and related Nguni languages, *nkosi* can function as both a political title and a respectful form of address, and it appears in the famous hymn line *Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika* (“God bless Africa”).
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
PB
*kɔ́jì
“ancestor of words for 'chief' or 'lord' in many Bantu languages”
Proto-Nguni
PNg
*-kósi
“chief, lord, king”
Old Zulu / Early Nguni
Nguni
inkosi
“a chief; a king; a lord; a respectful title”
19th Century
Zulu/Xhosa
nkosi
“used in titles, praise language, and Christian hymnody as 'Lord' or 'God'”
Modern English
English
Nkosi
“a borrowed proper noun/title used in names, song, and cultural reference”