inkosi

English

Alternative forms

• inkhosi

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Bantu *nkócì

Zulu ínkôsibor.

English inkosi

Borrowed from Zulu ínkôsi (“chief, king”), from Proto-Bantu *nkócì (“lion”). Doublet of kgosi.

Noun

inkosi (plural inkosis or amakhosi)

1. A chief (particularly Zulu).
   • 1956, Margaret Read, The Ngoni of Nyasaland, page 66:

     Before leaving his house to go to the kraal the inkosi had to eat a little porridge.

   • 2012, Homer, translated by Richard Whitaker, The Iliad: A Southern African Translation‎^[1]:

     Muse, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Akhilleus, / deadly rage that brought the Akhaians endless pain, / that hurled down to Hades many strong souls / of heroes and made their bodies meat for dogs / and vultures, fulfilling the plan of Zeus, / ever since that day those two quarreled— / inkosi Agamemnon and godlike Akhilleus.

Anagrams

• Kinois

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *nkócì (“lion”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [íᵑkôːsi]

Noun

ínkôsi class 9 (plural ámákhôsi class 6)

1. chief, king

Inflection

This entry needs an inflection-table template.

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *nkócì (“lion”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ínkôːsi/

Noun

ínkôsi class 9 (plural ámakhôsi class 6)

1. chief, king

Inflection

Class 9/6 (locative enkosini)

	singular		plural
full form	inkosi		amakhosi
simple form	nkosi		makhosi
locative	enkosini		emakhosini
copulative	yinkosi		ngamakhosi
Possessive forms
	singular		plural
	modifier	substantive	modifier	substantive
class 1	wenkosi	owenkosi	wamakhosi	owamakhosi
class 2	benkosi	abenkosi	bamakhosi	abamakhosi
class 3	wenkosi	owenkosi	wamakhosi	owamakhosi
class 4	yenkosi	eyenkosi	yamakhosi	eyamakhosi
class 5	lenkosi	elenkosi	lamakhosi	elamakhosi
class 6	enkosi	awenkosi	amakhosi	awamakhosi
class 7	senkosi	esenkosi	samakhosi	esamakhosi
class 8	zenkosi	ezenkosi	zamakhosi	ezamakhosi
class 9	yenkosi	eyenkosi	yamakhosi	eyamakhosi
class 10	zenkosi	ezenkosi	zamakhosi	ezamakhosi
class 11	lwenkosi	olwenkosi	lwamakhosi	olwamakhosi
class 14	benkosi	obenkosi	bamakhosi	obamakhosi
class 15	kwenkosi	okwenkosi	kwamakhosi	okwamakhosi
class 17	kwenkosi	okwenkosi	kwamakhosi	okwamakhosi

Derived terms

• inkosana
• inkosikazi

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “-khosi”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “-khosi (2.3-8.9)”