Somali

noun

So·​ma·​li sō-ˈmä-lē How to pronounce Somali (audio)
sə-
plural Somali or Somalis
1
: a member of a people of Somaliland
2
: the Cushitic language of the Somali
Somali adjective

Examples of Somali in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Read more MrBeast Spotify Wrapped: Celebrities Release 2024 Results 'Hawk Tuah Girl' Addresses 'Dancing With the Stars' Claim Johnny Somali: Who Is the Streamer Facing Prison in South Korea? Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024 Olympic boxer Ali, who moved to England in 1989 as a refugee from the Somali Civil War, was one of Time Magazine’s 2023 Women of the Year. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024 Captured from her home plains in the Somali Region, she was transported for several days on the back of a camel to the northern coast of Somaliland. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 There are serious problems with this approach, like the absence of context for the fight and the endless slaughter of faceless Somalis, but Scott burrows into the tactical details of a skirmish that wiped out 18 American soldiers and more than 500 Somalis. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024 Casselberry Coin Club: The program will be a presentation about the Somali electric guitar coin series from 2004 and 2012. Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024 Last year, Japanese authorities arrested Somali for suspicion of trespassing on a construction site, the Kyodo News agency reported. Stella Kim, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024 Minnesota is home to large Somali, Karen, Hmong and Liberian populations. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 30 Sep. 2024 The camp is still more than 97 percent Somali, but the wars and droughts across the region have expanded the population with refugees and asylum seekers from as far away as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Rael Ombuor, Washington Post, 6 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

from or akin to Somali Soomaali

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Somali was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near Somali

Cite this Entry

“Somali.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Somali. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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