Umuthi
/uˈmuː.tʰi/noun
A traditional medicine, medicinal plant, or healing substance in isiZulu and related Nguni usage.
Did you know?The related Southern African word “muti,” borrowed into English, can mean traditional medicine and is ultimately connected with the Bantu word for “tree.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
Proto-Bantu
*-tì
“Tree or wood; the reconstructed root behind widespread Bantu forms for tree.”
Early Bantu
Bantu
*mu-tì
“A tree, literally a class-3 noun built from the animate/tree prefix mu- plus the root for tree.”
Precolonial Nguni
Nguni
umuthi
“A tree, medicinal plant, or medicine; the tree-to-medicine association developed through the use of plants in healing.”
19th Century
isiZulu
umuthi
“Medicine or medicinal substance, including traditional remedies; context could distinguish it from the related sense “tree.””
20th Century
South African English
muti
“A loanword for traditional African medicine, especially in South African usage.”
Modern English
English
muti / muthi
“A South African English loanword referring to traditional medicine or herbal remedies.”