umfazi, noun

/ʊmˈfɑːzi/
Forms:
mfazi, umfaseShow more Also mfazi, umfase, umfasi, umfaz, umfaze, um Fazi, and with initial capital.
Plurals:
abafazi, bafazi, umfazis, and occasionally abafazis.
Origin:
IsiXhosa, IsiZuluShow more IsiXhosa and isiZulu umfazi (plural abafazi, vocative forms, singular mfazi, plural bafazi). For notes on plural forms, see um-, aba-, m-.
a. A married woman; a wife. b. Any (especially Black) woman. Also a form of address.
1833 S. Kay in A. Steedman Wanderings (1835) I. 45In conversation the Caffer frequently classes his umfaz (or wife) and ingegu (or pack-horse) together.
1836 A.F. Gardiner Journey to Zoolu Country 97An unmarried woman is called Intomebi, A married woman, without children, Umfaz. A married woman, with children, Eneena.
1855 G.H. Mason Life with Zulus 148An old ‘Umfaze’ (Caffre wife) hastened to fetch a dish of new milk.
1855 J.W. Colenso Ten Weeks in Natal 168When she was in a room, she was very much like any other um Fazi; but when she came out among her people, then he saw that she was Queen of them all.
1860 A.W. Drayson Sporting Scenes 19The hard work that an umfazi, or wife, has to perform very soon spoils her girlish figure and appearance, and she then becomes a haggard, wrinkled, repulsive old witch.
1876 T. Stubbs Reminiscences. II. 29Just as my men were in the act of firing, they called Umfasi we then saw they were Women.
1882 C. Du Val With Show through Sn Afr. II. 195Klaus..was going to work at the ‘Diamant Veld’ for the purpose of making sufficient money to enable him to buy cattle, to be bartered in turn for an additional ‘umfase’ (wife) or two.
1906 E. Prov. Herald 7 Apr.The local natives..declare the white men to be a lot of old women (Umfazies), for they have no guns.
1968 K. McMagh Dinner of Herbs 101His umfazi make very good beer. So I drink with Songololo and I tell him many stories.
1972 Drum 8 Apr. 19We were out looking for fun with our bafazi’s.
1972 Fair Lady 14 June 95The umfazis had been organised into a chain to wet the sacks...To the right was a small stream and the umfazis were running to it.
1978 J. Heyns in Sunday Times 16 Apr. (Extra) 3Bewildered and frustrated we read: Zulu Men Only, Indian Women Only, Blankes Alleenlik, Coloured or European Descent Only, Abafazis and Amadodas...By the time you found your own WC you had had that singular problem.
1979 M. Matshoba Call Me Not a Man 160It’s you that’s drunk. Coming all the way from eRawutini (Johannesburg) to shepherd umfazi for a month and then leave her for a whole year or more.
1990 C. Laffeaty Far Forbidden Plains 245She find..English soldier. She become his mfazi — his woman — and stay with him.
1993 Sowetan 22 Jan. 8‘I’ve been working hard helping my children study for their exams.’ ‘Mfazi, you want to produce doctors and lawyers!’
A married woman; a wife.
Any (especially Black) woman. Also a form of address.
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18331993

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IsiXhosa
IsiZulu
umfaan, nounn.umfundisi, nounn.
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