Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bantu

/ˈbæntu/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.03 in modern English

Syllables
ban-tu
IPA
/ˈbæntu/
7
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A member of any of the African ethnic groups that speak a Bantu language.

Countable

noun

The largest African language family of the Niger-Congo group, spoken in much of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Uncountable

Etymology

Borrowed from Proto-Bantu *bàntʊ̀ pl (“people”), as reconstructed by the 19th-century linguist Wilhelm Bleek.

Usage

Inflected Forms

Bantus (plural)

Derived Forms

Bantoid Bantologist Bantuist Bantuization Bantuize Bantuness

Phrases

Proto-Bantu Semi-Bantu Bantu languages Bantu ethnic groups

Frequently Paired Words

Bantu languages Bantu ethnic groups Asian black Coloured white

Synonyms

bantoid language

Rhymes With

cantu

Questions

How do you pronounce bantu?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbæntu/.
What does bantu mean?
A member of any of the African ethnic groups that speak a Bantu language.
Where does bantu come from?
Borrowed from Proto-Bantu *bàntʊ̀ pl (“people”), as reconstructed by the 19th-century linguist Wilhelm Bleek.

How to pronounce bantu

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “bantu”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈbæntu/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “bantu”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “bantu” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.