fundi, noun
/ˈfʊndi/
- Origin:
- Rhodesian English, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, IsiZuluShow more Perhaps originally Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) English, from isiNdebele umfundi disciple, learner (plural abafundi), from funda learn, read; or from fundisa teach, educate; or from the identical isiXhosa and isiZulu words. Cf. umfundisi.
1. rare. An academic; a learned person.
[1937 C. Birkby Zulu Journey 281Pondos will call the missionary or the farming lecturer or the doctor ‘Umfundi’ — the learned one.]
1971 P.J. Silva Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)He’s not the teacher type — he doesn’t strike one as being a great fundi.
2. An expert or authority on a particular subject. Also attributive.
[1970 J. Taylor Informant, Salisbury (now Harare, Zimbabwe)Fundi — an expert or specialist. Bessie is a fundi at gardening.]
1994 Sunday Times 2 Oct. (Mag. Sect.) 10They found themselves under the critical eye of fashion fundi Dion Chang.
3. One who shows enthusiasm for a particular subject or pastime, a ‘buff’.
1983 City Press 6 Nov. 2‘Buick’ as he was affectionately known to theatre fundis..had amassed a huge business empire.
An academic; a learned person.
An expert or authority on a particular subject. Also attributive.
One who shows enthusiasm for a particular subject or pastime, a ‘buff’.
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