Afrikaans

[ af-ri-kahns, -kahnz ]

noun

1. Also called the Taal [th, uh, , tahl]. an official language of South Africa, developed out of the speech of 17th-century settlers from Holland and still very like Dutch.

adjective

1. of or relating to Afrikaans or Afrikaners.

Afrikaans

/ ˌæfrɪˈkɑːns; -ˈkɑːnz /

noun

1. one of the official languages of the Republic of South Africa, closely related to Dutch Sometimes calledSouth African Dutch

Word History and Origins

Origin of Afrikaans¹

1895–1900; < Dutch, equivalent to Afrikaan native of Africa + -s -ish ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of Afrikaans¹

C20: from Dutch: African

Example Sentences

Mbonambi denied the accusation, saying he had used an Afrikaans phrase that had been misconstrued, and World Rugby decided there was insufficient evidence to charge him.

From BBC

Afrikaans is not specifically mentioned in the legislation, but the ANC says that some children are being excluded from schools where the language of the white-minority Afrikaners is used as the medium of instruction.

From BBC

The National Party formalized racial segregation policies in a system known as apartheid, an Afrikaans word that means “apartness” or “separateness.”

From Salon

The party named the system apartheid, which in the Afrikaans language means “the state of being separate.”

From Los Angeles Times

The moniker is believed to have originated with the Afrikaans word wyd, meaning “wide” — a reference to the shape of white rhinos’ upper lips.

From Seattle Times