Kongo
|Kon-go|
🇺🇸
/ˈkɑːŋɡoʊ/
🇬🇧
/ˈkɒŋɡəʊ/
Central African people/kingdom
Etymology
'Kongo' originates from the Kikongo (Bantu) language, specifically the indigenous name 'Kongo', which referred to the people and the territory they inhabited.
'Kongo' was recorded by Portuguese explorers in the 15th–16th centuries as 'Congo'; the Portuguese/European spelling 'Congo' influenced external usage, while 'Kongo' reflects the native form and is used in historical and anthropological contexts.
Initially it referred specifically to the people and their kingdom; over time the term broadened in external usage to refer also to the surrounding region, related languages, and (via the form 'Congo') to the river and modern states named after it.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a historical Central African state (the Kingdom of Kongo) that existed from about the 14th century and was influential in the region now covered by parts of Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo.
The Kingdom of Kongo maintained diplomatic and trade relations with Portuguese explorers in the 16th century.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the Kongo (Bakongo) people: a Bantu ethnic group native to the Kongo region of west-central Africa.
Many Kongo artists are known for their carved figures and ritual objects.
Synonyms
Noun 3
the Kongo language (also called Kikongo): a cluster of Bantu languages spoken by the Kongo people.
She learned Kongo to communicate with elders in the village.
Synonyms
Noun 4
a romanization of the Japanese word 金剛 (Kongō), meaning 'adamant', 'diamond-like', or referring to the Buddhist vajra (a ritual object or symbol of indestructibility).
The temple inscription used the name Kongō for the guardian statue.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/07 08:49