Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| aardvark | a nocturnal, insectivorous, badger-sized mammal, native to sub-Saharan Africa. [Afk. aardvark(en) (now erdvark), f. aarde earth + varken pig.] |
| aardwolf | a hyena-like African mammal, aka EARTHWOLF. |
| aasvogel | a S. African vulture. [Dutch = 'carrion bird']. |
| agterskot | the final payment to a farmer for crops. |
| apartheid | segregation and separate development (of races). |
| baas | boss. |
| baaskaap baasskap baaskap | the condition in which one section of the population is treated as the master race, esp. the policy of domination of white people in South Africa. |
| backveld | country remote from towns. |
| backvelder | one who lives in the country remote from towns. |
| berg | a hill or mountain in S. Africa. |
| bakgat | fine, excellent. |
| bakkie | a small open truck. |
| banket | a gold-bearing pebbly conglomerate. [Dutch banketje, almond rock]. |
| berghaan | the bateleur eagle. [Afrik. berg, mountain, + haan, cock]. |
| bijwoner bywoner | the sub-tenant of a farm; an agricultural labourer. [Dutch bijwonen, to be present]. |
| biltong | a kind of dried meat. |
| blaubok bloubok | a South African antelope, the bluebuck. |
| blesbok blesbuck | a South African antelope, having a large white spot on the forehead. |
| bliksem | an interjection expressing shock and surprise. |
| bobbejaan | a baboon; a large black spider. |
| boerewors | a traditional S. African sausage > BOEREWORSES. |
| boep | a protruding belly. |
| boerbul boerbull | a crossbred mastiff used esp as a watchdog. |
| boet boertjie | a friend. |
| bok | a goat or antelope. |
| bokmakerie | a large yellow shrike. |
| bontebok | the pied antelope of South Africa, aka BLESBOK. |
| boomslang | a highly venomous southern African tree-snake. [Du. boom, tree, + slang, snake]. |
| bosberaad | a meeting in an isolated place to break a political deadlock. |
| bosbok boschbok boshbok | a kind of antelope, a bush-buck. |
| boschveld bushveld | veld made up largely of woodland. |
| boykie | a chap or fellow. |
| braai | to grill or roast meat over open coals > BRAAIS, BRAAIING, BRAAIED. | braaivleis | a barbecue party. |
| brak | brackish, salty; (noun) a mongrel dog. |
| bredie | a meat and vegetable stew. |
| brei brey | to speak with uvular r, especially in Afrikaans. |
| broekies | underpants. |
| brommer brummer | the bluebottle. |
| bru | a friend. |
| casspir | in S. Africa, an armoured military vehicle. |
| chakalaka | a relish of tomatoes, onions and spices. |
| chommie | a friend, chum. |
| chorrie | a dilapidated old car. |
| couzin | a friend. |
| craal kraal | a pen for cattle; (verb) to enclose in such a pen. |
| crunchie | an offensive word for an Afrikaaner. |
| dassie | a small mammal, the hyrax. [Dutch dasje, dim. of das, badger]. |
| dikkop | the stone curlew. |
| dinges dingus | an indefinite name for any person or thing whose name one cannot remember. |
| disselboom | the single shaft of an ox-wagon or other cart. |
| doek | a square cloth for tying round the head, worn by African women. |
| dof | stupid. |
| dolos | the knucklebone of a sheep used by diviners > DOLOSSE. |
| donder | to beat up, thrash. |
| doorn | a thorn. |
| doornboom | a kind of acacia tree. |
| dop | to fail to reach the required standard in an examination. |
| doppie | a cartridge-case. [Dutch dop, shell, case]. |
| dorp | a S. African village or small town. |
| dronklap | a drunkard. |
| dronkverdriet | depressed after the consumption of alchohol. |
| drostdy | the house and office of a LANDDROST > DROSTDYS or DROSTDIES. |
| drummy | a drum majorette. |
| dumela | hello, good morning. |
| duiker duyker | a small S. African antelope. |
| eina | an interjection expressing sudden pain. |
| dwaal | a state of befuddlement. |
| eish | interjection expressing surprise, dismay. |
| flatstick | with great speed or effort. |
| foefie | as in foefie slide, a rope, fixed at an incline, along which a person suspended on a pulley may traverse a space, esp across a river. |
| fricadel frikkadel | a fried ball of mincemeat. |
| fynbos | in South Africa, an area of low shrubs > FYNBOSES. [Dutch fijn, fine + bosch, bush]. |
| gatvol | fed up. |
| geelbek | a yellow-jawed fish |
| gemsbok gemsbuck | a South African antelope, having long, sharp, nearly straight horns. |
| gemclip | a paperclip. |
| gogga | an insect, a creepy-crawly. |
| grysbok | a small South African antelope, speckled with gray and chestnut. [Dutch 'grey buck']. |
| haanepoot hanepoot honeypot | a kind of grape. [Dutch haane-poot, cockfoot]. |
| hadedah | a lare greyish-green ibis. |
| hairyback | an offensive name for an Afrikaaner. |
| hamba | go away. |
| hammerkop | a bird of the heron family. [Dutch 'hammer-head']. |
| handlanger | an unskilled assistant to a tradesman. |
| hartbees hartebeest hartbeest | a large S. African antelope. |
| highveld | a high altitude grassland region of E. S. Africa. |
| howzit | a greeting, how is it going. |
| inspan | to yoke e.g. oxen to a vehicle. |
| isit | an expression used in response to a statement, sometimes to seek confirmation but often merely to show that one is listening. |
| jaap | a simpleton or country bumpkin. |
| jambok sjambok | a rhinoceros-hide whip; (verb) to beat with this. N.B. SJAMBOKED/SJAMBOKING and SJAMBOKKED/SJAMBOKKING, but only JAMBOKKED/JAMBOKKING. |
| jinne+ jirre | an exclamation indicating surprise, shock etc. |
| jol | to have a good time > JOLS, JOLLING, JOLLED |
| joller | one who JOLS, has a good time |
| jong | a friend, esp. as an address |
| jukskei | an outdoor game similar to quoits. [Afrik. yuk, yoke + skei, pin]. |
| kaal | naked. |
| kabeljou kabeljouw | a large S. African fish. |
| jaap | a simpleton or country bumpkin. |
| jackroll | to rob a drunken or sleeping person. |
| kak | faeces, rubbish. |
| kaross | A S. African garment of animal skins. |
| kerel | a chap or fellow |
| kiaat | a tropical leguminous tree |
| kiff | excellent. |
| kingklip | any of several marine food fishes. |
| klap | to slap or smack. |
| kleinhuisie | an outside lavatory. |
| klipdas | the Cape HYRAX, an African mammal, like a woodchuck but more closely related to ungulates. [Dutch = 'rock badger']. |
| klipspringer | a small, hoofed African antelope. |
| kloof | a deep ravine in South Africa. |
| konfyt | a preserve of fruit, in syrup or candied. |
| kop | a hill. |
| kopje koppie | a low hill. |
| kotch | to vomit. |
| krans krantz kranz | a crown of rock on a mountain-top. [Dutch krans, a wreath]. |
| kurvey | to transport goods by wagon. [Dutch karwei, work]. |
| kurveyor | a carrier of goods by wagon. [Dutch karwei, work]. |
| laager | a defensive ring of ox-wagons; (verb) to arrange wagons in such a ring. |
| laer | = LAAGER, a camp; (verb) to make camp. |
| landdros landdrost | in South Africa, a district magistrate or sheriff. |
| lapje lappie | a rag or piece of cloth. |
| larney | a white person. |
| lekker | pleasing, tasty |
| loslyf | a promiscuous female. |
| lowveld | the lower altitude areas of the eastern Transvaal. |
| mampara | a foolish person. |
| mampoer | home-made brandy distilled from peaches, prickly pear etc. |
| marabi | a kind of music popular in townships in the 1930s. |
| mealie mealy mielie | an ear of maize. |
| mebos | salted or sugared dried apricots. |
| meneer | a title of respect for a man |
| mevrou | a title of respect for a woman |
| middelmannetjie | a ridge between the ruts made by wheels in a dirt road. |
| middelskot | in S. Africa, an intermediate payment to a farmer for a crop or wool-clip. |
| moer | a despicable person; (verb) to attack someone |
| mooi | fine. |
| mosbolletjie | in S. Africa, a sweet bun made of dough leavened with grape must. |
| moskonfyt | a thick syrup made from grapes. |
| naartje nartjie naartjie | a small sweet orange like the mandarin. [Afk. f. Tamil narattai citrus]. |
| nachtmaal | an older form of NAGMAAL, a Dutch Reformed Church Sacrament, the Lord's Supper. |
| nadors | thirst brought on by excessive consumption of alcohol. |
| nagapie | the bush-baby or nocturnal lemur. [Dutch 'night ape']. |
| nagmaal | a Dutch Reformed Church Sacrament, the Lord's Supper. [= 'night meal']. |
| necklacing | the punishment of having a petrol-soaked tyre placed round the neck or shoulders and set alight, traditionally used by black people on those thought to be government sympathizer. |
| nek | a COL, a pass over mountains. |
| nkosi | a term of address to a superior. |
| nooit | an interjection expressing surprise. |
| oke | a man. |
| oom | uncle. |
| opgefok | damaged, bungled. |
| oribi ourebi | a small South African antelope. |
| oubaas | someone senior to oneself |
| ouma | a grandmother |
| oupa | a grandfather |
| outspan | to unharness a draft animal. |
| padkos | snacks and provisions for a journey. |
| palmiet | a S. African aloe-like riverside plant of the rush family. |
| pampoen | a pumpkin. |
| perlemoen | a sea creature with a shell lined with mother-of-pearl |
| plaas | a farm |
| platanna | the African clawed frog. |
| platteland | rural districts. |
| poep | a fart, a despicable person; (verb) to break wind |
| poepol | a slang word for the anus. |
| pondok pondokkie | a crudely built hut made of tin sheet |
| poort | a mountain pass. |
| potjie | a three-legged iron pot used for cooking over a wood fire. |
| pronk | of a springbok, to leap in the air. [Du. pronken, to show off]. |
| randlord | in S. Africa, a 19th century mining magnate. |
| ratel | an African badger, aka honey-badger. |
| reebok rhebok | a S. African antelope. |
| regmaker | a drink taken to counterct the effect of a hangover |
| reitbok | the reedbuck. |
| renosterveld | an area of high altitude in S. Africa, having fertile ground. |
| riem | a raw-hide thong. |
| riempie | a long RIEM about the width of a shoelace, used as string. |
| ringhals rinkhals | an African snake that spits its venom > RINGHALSES, RINKHALSES. |
| roadworthy | in S. Africa, a certificate for a roadworthy vehicle. |
| rondavel | in S. Africa, a round hut with a grass roof. [Afrik. rondawel]. |
| rooibos | a kind of tea prepared from the dried leaves of an African plant > ROOIBOSES |
| rooikat | a S. African lynx |
| rooinek | an Afrikaans nickname for an English-speaking person. [Afrikaans = 'red neck']. |
| sammy | an Indian fruit and vegetable seller who goes from house to house. |
| samp | a coarsely ground maize. |
| sarmie | a sandwich. |
| scamto | the argot of S. African blacks. |
| schanse schantze schanze | a heap of stones used as protection against rifle-fire. |
| schelm skelm | a rascal. |
| schimmel | a roan-coloured horse. |
| shweshwe | an African cotton print fabric. |
| sies | an interjection expressing disgust. |
| sif | syphilitic, nasty. |
| sitkamer | a sitting-room |
| sjoe | an interjection expressing surprirse, admiration etc. |
| skeef | at an oblique angle |
| skollie skolly | a coloured hooligan. |
| skrik | a fright. |
| skyf | a cigarette or substance for smoking; (verb) to smoke > SKYFS, SKYFING, SKYFED. |
| sloot sluit | in S. Africa, a narrow water-channel. |
| smaak | to like or love. |
| smouser | in S. Africa, a pedlar. |
| snoep | tight-fisted. |
| sosatie | a skewer of curried meat pieces. |
| sourveld | in S. Africa, a type of grazing characterised by long coarse grass. |
| soutie soutpiel | derogatory for an English-speaking S. African. |
| spekboom | a South African succulent shrub of the purslane family. [Dutch 'bacon tree']. |
| spanspek | a tough-skinned melon |
| spaza | as in spaza shop, a small shop in a township. No —S. |
| springbok | a S. African antelope, that moves in leaps when alarmed. |
| springhaas springhase | a S. African nocturnal rodent. |
| spruit | a small stream flowing only in the wet season. |
| staffrider | a person who illegally rides on the outside of a suburban train. |
| steenbras | an edible estuarine S. African fish. [Dutch = 'stone bream']. |
| steenbok steinbok steenbuck | a small S. African antelope. [Du. steen, stone + bok, buck]. |
| stokvel | in S. Africa, an informal savings pool or syndicate. |
| stompie | a cigarette butt; a short man. |
| stukkend | broken or wretched. |
| suiplap | a drunkard. |
| sweetveld | a type of grazing characterised by sweet grass. |
| taal | language, usu. by implication Afrikaans. |
| tannie | aunt, a title of respect for older woman. |
| takky | a tennis shoe or plimsoll. |
| tik | slang term for the drug methamphetamine in crystal form. |
| toebie | a sandwich. |
| toktokkie | a large S. African beetle. |
| tripple | a horse's ambling canter, between a fast walk and a trot; (verb) to proceed at this pace. |
| trippler | a horse that tripples. |
| tronk | jail. |
| tsotsitaal | street slang. |
| ubuntu | a quality of humanity and compassion. |
| uitlander | a foreigner, esp. a Briton in the Transvaal. |
| veld veldt | open grassland. [Afrikaans veld, from Dutch veld, field]. |
| veldschoen veldskoen velskoen | a shoe made of rawhide. |
| verkramp | in South Africa, narrow-minded and illiberal esp. towards black and coloured people. Cf. VERKRAMPTE. |
| verkrampte | in South Africa, (one who is) narrow-minded and illiberal esp. towards black and coloured people. Cf. VERKRAMP, but VERKRAMPTE can be a noun with plural VERKRAMPTES. |
| verlig | politically liberal. Cf. VERLIGTE. |
| verligte | in South Africa, (one who is) liberal, politically enlightened. Cf. VERLIG, but VERLIGTE can be a noun with plural VERLIGTES. |
| vetkoek | a deep-fried cake. |
| vlei vly | low-lying ground where a shallow lake forms in the wet season. |
| voema | vigour. |
| voertsak voertsek voetsak voetsek | an offensive expression of rejection. |
| volk | the Afrikaner people. |
| volksraad | a legislative assembly, esp. (with cap.) that of the Transvaal or Orange Free State. |
| voorkamer | a front room, esp. of a farmhouse |
| voorskot | advance payment made to a farmer for crops |
| voortrekker | one of the Dutch farmers from Cape Colony who took part in the Great Trek into the Transvaal in 1836. |
| vrot | rotten, putrid |
| vrou | a woman, esp. a married woman |
| vrystater | a native inhabitant of the Free State, esp one who is White. |
| waboom wagenboom | a South African proteaceous tree; also, its tough wood, used for making wagon wheels. [Dutch = 'wagon-tree']. |
| wena | you. |
| whenwe | a white immigrant from Zimbabwe. |
| witblits | a strong home-distilled alcoholic spirit. [Afr. wit, white + blits, lightning]. |
| witgat witgatboom | a South African evergreen tree with edible roots used as a coffee substitute when roasted. [Afk., f. wit, white + gat, hole]. |
| yebo | yes, I agree. |
| zol | a cannabis cigarette. |