duma
The Swahili word for cheetah is duma.
duma is the noun used to refer to the species Acinonyx jubatus.
Meaning: Acinonyx jubatus (noun)
Did you know?
- In Swahili, the word duma is used in the common idiom kama duma, which describes someone who is exceptionally fast or finishes a task with incredible speed.
- The word duma is an outsider to the Bantu language family, tracing its roots back to the Proto-South Cushitic term *duʔuma.
- The word duma belongs to the n- noun class, even though it does not begin with the letter 'n'.
Examples in context
- Duma ni mnyama mwepesi sana duniani.The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world.
- Duma ana kasi sana.A cheetah is very fast.
- Duma ni mnyama wa kuvutia.A cheetah is an attractive animal.
Example conversation
Aisha and Omari are visiting a wildlife sanctuary.
- AishaOmari, angalia duma yule!Omari, look at that cheetah!
- OmariWow, anapendeza sana.Wow, it is very beautiful.
- AishaJe, unajua kasi yake?Do you know its speed?
- OmariNdiyo, duma ndiye mnyama wa haraka zaidi.Yes, the cheetah is the fastest animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheetah” translations and entries duma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries duma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
