bwana

bwa·na

(bwä′nə)

Used as a form of respectful address in parts of Africa.

[Swahili, from Arabic 'abūnā, our father : 'abū, bound form of 'ab, father; see ʔb in Semitic roots + -nā, our.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

bwana

(ˈbwɑːnə)

(in E Africa) a master, often used as a respectful form of address corresponding to sir

[Swahili, from Arabic abūna our father]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bwa•na

(ˈbwɑ nə)

n., pl. -nas.

(in Africa) master; boss.

[1875–80; < Swahili < Arabic abūnā our father]

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References in classic literature ?

Already "Bwana" and "My Dear," as she first heard them called and continued to call them, were as father and mother to her.

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Mugambi, the ebon Hercules, who had shared the dangers and vicissitudes of his beloved Bwana, from Jungle Island, almost to the headwaters of the Ugambi, was the first to note the bold approach of the sinister caravan.

"They come for no good purpose in the absence of the Great Bwana."

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The black had been looking at Tarzan with wide eyes, evidently not comprehending how this god could appear in so material a form, and with the voice of a white bwana and the uniform of a warrior of this city to which he quite evidently did not belong.

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"No, bwana," replied Kaviri, "the white child was not with this man's party--it was with the other party."

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Brighton need to add goals and Bwana Samatta could be their man

Premier League transfer targets: Club by club guide to top summer priorities; Premier League clubs are all looking to strengthen this summer - including Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool

"I'd been doing some research in Lusaka about the political party that achieved independence, the party that Kenneth Kaunda our first president was the leader of, and in the transcripts of their national council meetings all of these freedom fighters refer to each other as 'Bwana' and at some point one of them says, we can't be using this word, we can't be using 'boss' to each other and so they switch to 'comrade'.

"I do like to haunt people"

In 1953, ''Bwana Devil,'' the movie that heralded the 3D fad of the 1950s, had its New York opening.

Today in History

In deference to the many years he spent lecturing in Africa we called him Bwana (Swahili for Lord) for obvious reasons.

Name for a laugh; Views of the North

injured, meaning that the death toll could rise, Nyonyi Bwana Kawa

Ugandan rebels kill 15 people in eastern Congo village massacre

"OK let's wait him out" says the Bwana. After about thirty minutes of standing in the late morning sun I was wilting like month-old lettuce when the man says "Here comes a cow and she's going to walk right by that bull.