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name

Shona

SHOH-nuh
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Shona (name) means a Bantu language spoken mainly in Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique. Example: “She grew up speaking Shona at home and English at school.”

name
1
A Bantu language spoken mainly in Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique.
"She grew up speaking Shona at home and English at school."
"I didn’t know anyone who spoke fluent Shona in the area." — NoViolet Bulawayo, Glory (2022)
noun
1
A member of the Bantu people who speak Shona.
"It's not relevant for the purpose of my discussion who got to Zimbabwe first between the Shonas and the Ndebeles." — Khoza Mduduzi, The West Stole Africa's Wealth (2015)
"The Shona are the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe."

How to use Shona

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the language, or the people of Zimbabwe who speak it, one of the country's major languages.

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Word forms

Plural
Shonas
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She grew up speaking _____ at home and English at school.

Etymology

This is the Scottish Anglicized form of Seonag (meaning ‘Joan’), and also an American variant of Shauna.

Sh�na Chishona

Rhymes for Shona

See all rhymes for Shona →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Shona” mean?
The word “Shona” means a Bantu language spoken mainly in Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique. In plain terms, either the language, or the people of Zimbabwe who speak it, one of the country's major languages.
How do you pronounce “Shona”?
“Shona” is pronounced SHOH-nuh (/ˈʃəʊnə/ in IPA).
How do you use “Shona” in a sentence?
Here is “Shona” used in a sentence: “She grew up speaking Shona at home and English at school.”
What part of speech is “Shona”?
Depending on how it is used, “Shona” can be a name and a noun.
How many meanings does “Shona” have?
“Shona” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a Bantu language spoken mainly in Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique.