Maasai

noun

Maa·​sai mä-ˈsī 

ˈmä-ˌsī

variants or Masai

plural Maasai or Maasais or Masai or Masais

1

: a member of a pastoral and hunting people of Kenya and Tanzania

2

: the Nilotic language of the Maasai people

Examples of Maasai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Starting in July, millions of animals cross the Mara River in search of new grazing ground, trekking from the southern Serengeti to the grasslands of the Maasai Mara. —Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 8 May 2025

Mara Toto has access to both Maasai Mara National Reserve and Mara North Conservancy, the latter a part of the same ecosystem, but with a fraction of the crowds. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025

While the Maasai Mara is often the first name that comes to mind when thinking of a Kenyan safari, Laikipia offers a different and arguably more exclusive experience with not only the Big Five but also rare fauna like the black (melanistic) leopard. —Nicole Trilivas, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025

Key Moment: Kid-friendly interactions with the Maasai people in Tanzania. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Maasai il-máásáì, a self-designation

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Maasai

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny