Zambezi
/zæmˈbeɪ.zi/noun
A major river in southern Africa, flowing through several countries to the Indian Ocean.
Did you know?The name Zambezi is believed to come from a local African language, but its exact precolonial origin is not fully settled, which is why the river’s name still carries a real sense of ancient mystery.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial era
Bantu
*zambezi?
“An ancestral form is often proposed, but the precise original source of the river-name remains uncertain.”
16th Century
Portuguese
Zambeze
“Portuguese spelling of the great river in southern Africa.”
17th-19th Century
European maps
Zambezi
“Standardized European form used in cartography and travel writing.”
Modern English
English
Zambezi
“The established English name of the river.”