Definition of umfundisi in English:
umfundisi
nounPlural bafundisi ʊmˈfʊndɪsiˌʊmfʊnˈdiːzi
South African (among speakers of Xhosa and Zulu) a teacher, priest, or missionary.
Example sentencesExamples
- He is the predikant who questions the teachings of the bible, the teacher who desires that his students unravel his puzzles, the umfundisi for whom knowledge is powerful but always elusive.
- Stephen Kumalo, a black umfundisi, lives in rural South Africa; his children have moved to Johannesburg.
- The umfundisi's traumatic journey to Johannesburg rings true to her.
- Reverend Kumalo, the main character, is addressed as umfundisi many times in the book.
- Thebu is living with umfundisi and is preparing to be a minister.
- The Swazi crow is a large black bird with a white collar and he is also called umfundisi, because he looks like a Catholic priest.
Origin
Early 19th century: from Xhosa and Zulu.