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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

toubab en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /tu.bab/

Etymology

The most likely earliest derivation is from the Wolof word for Europe, "Tougal". In the same way that Wolof means the people of Jollof, Toubab means the people of Tougal.

Meanings

  1. (Africa, Central, West) A white person.
    • Jean-Baptiste was my only real white friend in the trench. He was the only Toubab who came to console me after the death of Mademba Diop. 2018, David Diop, chapter 10, in Anna Moschovakis, transl., At Night All Blood Is Black, London: Pushkin:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
toubabs Number=Plur lexicographic

Synonyms

white person