Bantustan

noun

Ban·​tu·​stan ˌban-tü-ˈstan How to pronounce Bantustan (audio) ˌbän-tü-ˈstän How to pronounce Bantustan (audio)
ˈban-tü-ˌstan,
ˈbän-tü-ˌstän,
-tə-
: any of several all-Black enclaves formerly in the Republic of South Africa that had a limited degree of self-government

Examples of Bantustan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The Trump plan would thereby surround the Palestinian state with Israeli territory, severing its contiguity with Jordan and turning Jericho into a Palestinian enclave and the Palestinian state into a Bantustan. Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 4 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Bantu + -stan land (as in Hindustan)

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bantustan was in 1949

Dictionary Entries Near Bantustan

Cite this Entry

“Bantustan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bantustan. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Bantustan

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!