zuluhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zulu_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_useZulu, n. & adj.
Revised 2023

Zulunoun & adjective

  1. noun
      1. 1.a.
        1824–
        A member of a South African people traditionally living mainly in the region that is now KwaZulu-Natal province. Cf. amaZulu n.
        The Zulus formed a powerful military empire in southern Africa during the 19th cent. (cf. Mfecane n.) before being defeated in a series of engagements with Afrikaner and British colonizers, most notably the Anglo-Zulu War (1879).
        1. 1824
          I communicated with Chaka, king of the Zulus, to whom belongs the whole of the country from Natal to Delagoa Bay.
          F. G. Farewell, Letter September in S. Bannister, Humane Policy (1830) App. p. lii
        2. 1836
          The country of the Zoolas, eastward of Natal..is much infested with wild beasts.
          N. Isaacs, Trav. & Adventures East Africa vol. II. xvii. 321
        3. 1887
          The South African native, especially the Zulu, is..naturally honest.
          J. W. Matthews, Incwadi Yami 187
        4. 1941
          Look at the time these English had with the Zulus, more than a thousand getting themselves killed.
          S. Cloete, Hill of Doves (1969) viii. 131
        5. 2019
          Thandanani Gumede, a Zulu born in South Africa, told the society that it was not offensive to pay tribute to Zulu culture but it was wrong to use make-up to represent a different skin colour.
          Times (Nexis) 7 November 23
      2. 1.b.
        1899–
        Originally and chiefly U.S. derogatory (now usually considered offensive). A dark-skinned person of sub-Saharan African origin or descent; a black person. Also more generally: any dark-skinned person.
        1. 1899
          You can hear the gals declaring, Ain't that Zulu swell.
          I. Jones, I want a Filipino Man (sheet music) 4
        2. 1958
          If he gets lost it's too bad. I'm not going to freeze to death running around after a Zulu.
          A. Sillitoe, Saturday Night & Sunday Morning xiv. 186
        3. 1967
          I just didn't care to have any damn zulu saying I didn't do the work right.
          ‘D. Shannon’, Chance to Kill vii. 91
        4. 2009
          A young Zulu out to make his bones..stuck a spork in his aorta.
          J. Stahl, Pain Killers iv. 39
    1. 2.
      1838–
      A language of the Nguni branch of the Bantu languages spoken in South Africa, esp. in the region traditionally inhabited by the Zulus; the language of the Zulus.
      1. 1838
        Andries..possessed a smattering of zooloo, and we thus hoped to be able to proceed without the aid of a sworn interpreter.
        W. C. Harris, Narr. Exped. South Africa xv. 139
      2. 1861
        The Zulu for dog is commonly spelt inja.
        J. W. Colenso, Zulu-English Dictionary p. v
      3. 1973
        Bill..grew up in Natal and learned Zulu along with English.
        Drum (Johannesburg) 8 January 14
      4. 2020
        Each interview was conducted in Zulu and lasted on average two hours.
        Journal Comparative Family Studies vol. 51 6
    2. 3.
      1881–
      A type of fishing boat in common use in Scotland, esp. on the firths of Moray and Clyde, from c1880 until the beginning of the 20th cent. Also more fully Zulu boat. Now historical.
      Zulus were built with two masts, a straight prow, and a markedly raked stern.
      1. 1881
        Mr Alexander Watson, who recently leased the building yard of Duffus Hillock, has just launched a so-called Zulu boat.
        Banffshire Advertiser 29 December
      2. 1883
        Amongst the other intending Scotch exhibitors are Captain Swinbourne of Ardgour,..and Peterkin & Co., of Elgin, who will show a Zulu boat fully equipped.
        Glasgow Herald 3 January 6/1
      3. 1905
        A place for biggin heerin' boats Zulus, Fifies—best afloat.
        Banffshire Journal 28 March
      4. 1952
        She was a seventy-foot ‘zulu’, lugsail-rigged, and with two Kelvin paraffin engines.
        G. Maxwell, Harpoon at Venture (1955) ii. 37
      5. 2022
        Some Zulus were temporarily beached on the western shore of the Bay when their crews went to fight in the First World War.
        N. Thomson, Moray Way Companion (e-book edition)
    3. 4.
      1886–
      Angling. A type of artificial fly.
      1. 1886
        Mr. H. A. Beck, chub and dace from same water, using a small brown Palmer dry, also a Zulu fly.
        Anglers' Journal 10 July 330/1
      2. 1898
        General utility flies... Such are the red tag, the Zulu, the blue dun, the snipewing.
        Speaker 29 October 515
      3. 1920
        The favourite flies are the Alder, Wickham's Fancy, Zulu, Blue Dun and Cochbonddu.
        Country Life 10 July 69/2
      4. 2013
        Older Zulus were always tied very thick, but it would seem that the lighter-hackled versions of today are more effective.
        B. Hansford-Steele, Fishing Flies for Africa (e-book edition)
      1. 5.a.
        1952–
        Used to represent the letter Z in radio communication.
        1. 1952
          Z..Zulu.
          Radio Navigational Aids (U.S. Hydrographic Office) ix. 377
        2. 2020
          Control this is Zulu Echo Seven Five. I need a PNC check.
          C. Revell, Soul to Take (e-book, accessed 16 Sept. 2022) xix
      2. 5.b.
        1956–
        An informal name for: Greenwich Mean Time, and (subsequently) Universal Time. Cf. Zulu time n.
        1. 1956
          Time One Six Three Zero Zulu.
          General Communications (U. S. Navy Department Bureau of Naval Personnel) vi. 67/2
        2. 1960
          We'll have a meal..at twenty-three zulu—at eleven o'clock English time.
          ‘N. Shute’, Trustee from Toolroom 104
        3. 1976
          ‘Check Zulu 10.50.28,’ he said, using airmen's and Air Traffic Control jargon for time... ‘Okay. The line after Zulu 10.50.30.’
          B. Jackson, Flameout (1977) v. 90
        4. 2014
          Let me check, it's 2200 hours Zulu, that's 10 O'clock PM for some of us.
          R. Gilmore, Bina Luna 27
  2. adjective
    1. 1.
      1827–
      Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the Zulus or their culture.
      1. 1827
        The whole armed force of the Zoola nation is estimated..to amount to nearly 100,000 men.
        G. Thompson, Travels South Africa i. xvii. 202
      2. 1863
        They much resemble the Zulu huts, but have larger doorways.
        W. C. Baldwin, African Hunting iii. 75
      3. ?1948
        Where the music is genuinely of Zulu origin, composed in the tradition of Zulu music, we have classified it as ‘Country Zulu’.
        H. Tracey, Lalela Zulu: 100 Zulu Lyrics p. v
      4. 1977
        Traditional English, Indian and Mauritian influences have married with..indigenous Zulu dishes.
        Fair Lady (Cape Town) 8 June (Supplement) 28
      5. 2018
        [The curators] have crafted this exhibition to highlight the fact that traditional Zulu society has never been monolithic in terms of their usage of body adornment as a form of cultural expression.
        Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) (Nexis) 23 February
    2. 2.
      1835–
      Designating the language of the Nguni branch of the Bantu languages spoken by the Zulu people; of, relating to, or written in this language. Cf. sense A.2.
      1. 1835
        There acquire a knowledge of the Zoolah language before entering the territory of Dingaan.
        Rep. Amer. Board Commissioners Foreign Missions 38
      2. 1850
        All the remaining characters of the Zulu alphabet have the same power as the same letters in English.
        J. S. Christopher, Natal App. 137
      3. 1869
        The Zulu noun a-ba-ntu ‘men, people’.
        W. H. I. Bleek in R. Noble, Cape & its People 272
      4. a1951
        He laughed to hear the elderly black woman emit a long string of Zulu swear-words.
        H. C. Bosman, Willemsdorp (1977) 63
      5. 2008
        The manner in which Fuze's Abantu Abamnyama has been read as an inaugural text of Zulu literature.
        Journal Relig. in Africa vol. 38 313

Zulu, n. & adj. was revised in March 2023.

Zulu, n. & adj. was last modified in March 2025.