Swahili · Travel & Places
ndege
Airplane; bird
Beginnernoun
Definition
An airplane — and also a bird; one word for both flyers.
Example
Ndege imechelewa saa moja.
The plane is an hour late.
Etymology
'Ndege' comes from the Proto-Bantu root '-ndeg', which means 'to fly'. The historical significance of birds and later airplanes in Swahili culture is represented in this term.
How & Where It’s Used
'Ndege' is commonly used in both informal and formal contexts, pertaining to both flying birds and aircraft. It finds usage in daily conversation and written language.