Tiv–English dictionary

Tiv Dictionary: A

150 entries · part 2 of 3

Every Tiv word in the archive's dictionary that begins with “A” — 360 entries, in alphabetical order (part 2 of 3). Each entry gives the English meaning and part of speech, and, where the archive records them, the pronunciation, an example sentence in Tiv with its English translation, and notes on usage. Select a word to open its own page with related words and sources.

akusu

hooves

Noun

Example
Nor mnger kpa

akwagh

items

Noun

Also means
things
Example
A wa akwagh sha kasua. — “She took items to the market.”

akya

Tiv oboelike instrument

Noun

Example
Tongo akya m vine amar. — “Let me dance to the tune of the Tiv Oboe.”

alabar

news

Noun

Example
See agwa, noun. — “A va a alabar a bo. He/she brought bad news.”

alabesa

onion

Noun

Example
Ka a tôndo alabesa sha ihô — “He cuts onions with a knife”

alev

beans

Noun

Example
Alev ka kwaghyan u nan mkpeiyol. — “Beans are a healthy food.”

alom

rabbit

Noun

Example
alom ngu a zege mba atoov — “a rabbit has long ears”

alômôde

African grape

Noun

Example
Zor atam a alômôde ya. — “Pick the African grapes to eat.”

alum

oranges

Noun

Also means
orange fruits
Example
M yam alum pue sha kasua. — “I bought ten oranges at the market.”

amar

dance

Noun

Example
Ka m vine amar. — “I dance.”

ambe

crocodile

Noun

Example
Aji a ambe. — “The crocodile’s eggs.”

ambi

faeces

Noun

Also means
droppings
Example
Ambi a ibua. — “Cattle faeces or droppings.”

ambo

gorilla

Noun

Example
Ambo unde sha wo. — “A gorilla climbed the mountain.”

ameen

temptations, enticements

Noun

Example
De zaan a mo ape ameen a lu ga. Do not lead me into temptations.

amende

yam creeping stems

Noun

Example
Wa amende jiir iyough sha min. — “Boil yams on top of yam creeping stems.”

amine

millet

Noun

Example
M wua amine m kunde iber. — “I ground the millet to make porridge.”

amire

chickenpox

Noun

Example
Amire ka a va a mnyam ma yaven. — “Chickenpox brings sleepiness.”

amishe

roots

Noun

Example
Amishe a toho za shin inya ga. — “The roots of grass do not go deep into the soil.”

amobik

amoebic dysentery

Noun

ancaver

pre-owned or worn-out clothing

Adjective

Example
Give me your worn-out clothing.

ande

tear apart

Verb

ange

sour

Adjective

Example
Alum nyian ga; nahan, zar na ange. — “The orange is not ripened; so, its juice is sour.”

anger

Tiv traditional clothing

Noun

Example
Cir/zer anger; shi vine amar. — “Me throw over the shoulder; women wear as wrapper and headtie. Wear the Tiv traditional clothing; then, dance.”

anger

torch feathers or skin on animal

Verb

Example
Anger ivo man u bur aci ye. — “Torch the goat skin before carving into pieces.”

anger1

Tiv traditional clothing

Noun

Also means
Tiv traditional clothing of black (toil) and white (purity) stripes
Example
Me throw over the shoulder; women wear as wrapper and headtie — “Cir/zer anger; shi vine amar. Wear the Tiv traditional clothing; then, dance”

anger2

torch feathers or skin on animal

Verb

Also means
to remove the hair or feathers off an animal or bird by torching
Example
Anger ivo man u bur aci ye — “Torch the goat skin before carving into pieces”

angereke

gossiping

Noun

Example
De angereke; u va wa or ken kwaghbo. — “Stop gossiping; you may get someone into trouble.”

angev

disease, illness

Noun

aningbian

relative

Noun

Example
Wan nomso u anigbian u ngôm u nomso ka anigbian. — “The son of my mother’s brother is my relative.”
Usage
Aningbianev (relatives), plural noun.

aninge

aromatic leafy vegetable

Noun

Example
Ya aninge shin

aninja

minor misbehavior

Noun

Example
Me faityo u zuan a mtsaha aluer m er aninja u bo yô. — “I may be punished for a minor misbehavior.”

ankon

small

Noun

Also means
little tree
Example
Ankon ne tav ga. — “This small tree (shrub) is not tall.”

Anom a ibua

bulls

Noun

Also means
bulls (plural of nombua)

anumbe

games, sports

Noun

Example
Abuja defeated Kaduna at the games meet.
Usage
See inumbe, singular noun.

anyam

tiger

Noun

Also means
tigress
Example
Anyam ye inyam tsegh. — “The tiger”

anyam azenga

leopard

Noun

Example
Anyam azenga yevese kpishi. — “A leopard runs fast.”

anyigôr

earthworm

Noun

Example
Anyigôr zough a kwaghyan ken inya i yan. See agundô. Mbaanyigôr, plural noun. — “The earthworm gets its food from the soil it eats.”

anzereke

tricks

Noun

Example
Wanye wa anzereke; nahan, ka a bume ior mbavesen. — “The boy is full of tricks; so, he deceives grownup people.”

Aondo

God

Noun/ah-ON-doh/

Example
Ka Aondo a er tar ne ye. — “God created the world.”

ape suur

place of comfort

Phrase

Example
M zua a ape suur itiough. Apesuur (ultimate helper). — “I have got a place of rest, comfort, help, or care (lean head against).”

aper

hollow grass stalk

Noun

aper

will cross

Verb

Example
Ior ve aper wuagh. — “People will cross the stream.”

aper1

hollow grass stalk

Noun

Also means
grass stalk with clean hollow between leaf nodes used as a musical instrument
Example
Tôndo aper er akya — “Cut the hollow grass stalk (like a straw) to make an oboe”

aper2

will cross

Verb

Also means
prediction of crossing (a stream/road)
Example
Ior ve aper wuagh — “People will cross the stream”

apir

let be extinguished

Verb

Example
De un a pir usu: Let him/her extinguish the fire.

apir

extinguish

Verb

Also means
to put out fire
Example
De un a pir usu — “Let him extinguish the fire”

apol

apples

Noun

Also means
apple fruit
Example
M yam apol, ayaba man alum. — “I bought apples, bananas and oranges.”

apu

vulture

Noun

Example
Apu ye ihiev i kpen. — “A vultue eats dead rats.”

apusu

rinds

Noun

Also means
peals
Example
Mba ye apusu a mongol. See ipusugh, singular noun. — “The rinds of the mango are edible.”

asegh

cheeks (outside)

Noun

asemberakaa

letters of the alphabet

Noun

Example
Aôndona fa u ôron asemberakaa. — “Aôndona can say the letters of the alphabet.”

asenge

joke

Noun

Example
Sam ôr kwagh u asenge (hômon). — “Sam said a joke (something funny).”

ashe

eyes, plural noun

Noun

ashighen

sometimes

Adverb

Example
Vee heen ashighen ashighen — “He comes here sometimes”

asid

acid

Noun

Example
Alum ngu a asid. — “An orange contains acid.”

asongo

chunks

Noun

Example
Asongo a inyam igo. — “Chunks of pork.”
Usage
Plural noun. asorabo, akaabo (sins, trespasses): See ishoribo (sin), singular noun.

← All collections