datu

[ dah-too ]

noun

, plural da·tu, da·tus.

1. (in the Philippines) a Native chief.

Word History and Origins

Origin of datu¹

First recorded in 1925–30; from Tagalog datu, dato “landowner, head of a clan or tribe”; akin to dato ( def )

Example Sentences

Grogu, I said, make a peace with the great Datu of the rovers of the sea, give him a part of each harvest.

From Project Gutenberg

The Datu of Padang, the old man who lost the forty buffaloes, is a venomous old rascal that we'll have to watch.

From Project Gutenberg

Inchi tells me there is a persistent rumor in the town that the great Datu, the chief of all the pirates, is in Bulungan.

From Project Gutenberg

The Datu is small in person, and emaciated in form, but has a quick eye and an intelligent countenance.

From Project Gutenberg

His house is constructed in the same manner as that of the Datu, but is of larger dimensions, and the piles are rather higher.

From Project Gutenberg