mwenye

Swahili

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Sabaki *mwenye ~ *mwinyi. By surface analysis, mw- + -enye.

In Sabaki, cognate with Ngazidja Comorian mwinyi (“owner”) and Giryama mwinyi (“your honor, excellency”). Other Bantu cognates include Kongo mwene (“lord, ruler”) and Chichewa mwiní.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

mwenye class I (plural wenye class II)

1. owner, possessor

   mwenye duka ― shop owner

Particle

mwenye

1. m class_(I)/mu class_(XVIII) inflected form of -enye