sbali, noun

/sˈbɑːli/
Forms:
s’bali, sibaliShow more Also s’bali, sibali, usibali.
Plurals:
oosibali.
Origin:
IsiXhosa, AfrikaansShow more IsiXhosa sibali, adaptation of Afrikaans swaer brother-in-law.
colloquial
Among speakers of the Sintu (Bantu) languages: an informal term of address or reference to a brother-in-law, (rare) a sister-in-law, or (loosely) any male friend. Cf. swaer.
1963 Wilson & Mafeje Langa 86One term — usibali (from the Afrikaans ‘swaer’) has ousted the old terms for brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, umlanya and umlanyakazi, even in the country...In traditional Xhosa custom a woman’s brother would never have dreamt of going to a married sister’s home when drunk, and thereby disgracing her in front of their brothers-in-law (oosibali).
1978 Voice 25 Nov. 2That mean, late and unlamented sbali of hers had booby-trapped the box with grenades.
1982 Pace Nov. 47And so, S’bali, the managing director..went through one night’s bout of Azapo nightmares and acted promptly.
1983 Pace Oct. 70Yhu, sbali! Ever heard about this Soweto morning daily whose sub-editors are said to have a rather limited vocabulary.
1987 Pace Aug. 4The people can share, but not wives sbali.
an informal term of address or reference to a brother-in-law, (rare) a sister-in-law, or (loosely) any male friend.
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19631987

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colloquial
rare or nonce
SB, nounn.SBDC, nounn.
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