A South African term, from Zulu and Xhosa, used colloquially to refer to a white person. The word is widely used across South Africa and carries different registers depending on context — it can be neutral, affectionate, or pointed depending on tone and relationship. Not a formal term; it is an informal word that black South Africans use, sometimes to foreigners' surprise when they first encounter it.
The children watched the tourists with curiosity and one whispered, 'Yebo, mlungu,' giggling to the others.
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(South Africa) : A white person.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.