Dinka

American  

[ding-kuh] / ˈdɪŋ kə /

noun

plural

Dinkas,

plural

Dinka

1. a member of a tall, pastoral people of Sudan.

2. the language of the Dinka, a Nilotic language closely related to Shilluk.

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Dinka British  

/ ˈdɪŋkə /

noun

1. a member of a Nilotic people of South Sudan, noted for their height, which often reaches seven feet tall: chiefly herdsmen

2. the language of this people, belonging to the Nilotic group of the Nilo-Saharan family

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Etymology

Origin of Dinka

from Dinka jieng people

Example Sentences

The conflict in has largely pitted the two largest ethnic groups against each other -- the Dinka aligned mostly with Kiir, and the Nuer mostly with Machar.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

The country, over the last years, has seen the limits of the peace deal forged between South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, a Dinka, and his Nuer deputy, Riek Machar.

From Washington Post • Feb. 4, 2023

Kiir comes from South Sudan's largest ethnic group, the Dinka.

From Reuters • Feb. 3, 2023

The battle for control mainly raged between the supporters of President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and supporters of the First Vice-President Riek Machar, a Nuer.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2023

The boy spoke Dinka but with a different accent, which meant that he was not from the area around Salva’s village.

From "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park