Angola
|an-go-la|
🇺🇸
/ænˈɡoʊlə/
🇬🇧
/ænˈɡəʊlə/
Southern African country on the Atlantic coast
Etymology
'Angola' originates from Portuguese, specifically the word 'Angola', which derives from the title 'Ngola' used by the rulers of the Ndongo kingdom in the Kimbundu language.
'Angola' changed from the Kimbundu title 'Ngola' (used for a ruler) into Portuguese 'Angola' as the Portuguese referred to the land of the Ngola, and this form entered modern English as 'Angola'.
Initially it referred to the title 'Ngola' (the ruler) or the realm associated with that title; over time it evolved into the proper name of the territory and then the modern independent country 'Angola'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a country in southwestern Africa on the Atlantic coast; capital is Luanda.
Angola is rich in oil and mineral resources.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the territory and political entity that was a Portuguese colony known as Portuguese Angola before its independence in 1975.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, much of Angola was under Portuguese colonial rule.
Synonyms
Noun 3
informal name for the Louisiana State Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison in the United States often called 'Angola'.
He served many years at Angola for a life sentence.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/02 05:17