inkosin.
/ɪŋˈkəʊsi/, U.S. /ɪŋˈkoʊsi/, South African English /ɪŋˈkɒsi/ South African.
(a) The royal title of a Zulu ruler. (b) A chief, lord; in which sense also used as a title of respect.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > rule or government of family or tribe > head of family, tribe, or clan > [noun] > South African
inkosi1835
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > title > title or form of address for persons of rank > [noun] > for foreign persons of rank
bashawa1535
altesse1559
monseigneur1561
sheikh1577
naik1588
bey1589
altezza1595
kamia1601
illustrissimo1623
donshipc1626
pasha1648
Rao1665
hospodar1684
beg1686
burra sahiba1827
inkosi1835
gospodar1847
Mgr1848
Rai Bahadur1871
Rai Sahib1905
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > title > title or form of address for persons of rank > [noun] > titles applied to royalty > for a king or ruler > for foreign king or ruler
Sophy1539
shah1566
sophi1598
padishah1612
pangeran1616
Sophia1649
Nizam1769
rajaship1784
Shahanshah1815
inkosi1835
1824 W. J. Burchell Trav. Interior S. Afr. II. xiv. 364 The different members of his family, and the kōsies or subordinate chieftains, formed round us a circle two or three deep.
1827 G. Thompson Trav. S. Afr. i. x. 118 Calling the king, Kousie, which is not his name, but his title, kousi signifying king or principal chief in their language.]
1835 A. Steedman Wanderings S. Afr. I. x. 256 Among the Zoolahs the title of Inkose is solely confined to the principal Chief.
1836 N. Isaacs Trav. E. Afr. (1937) II. 245 When the monarch is firmly seated on his throne..he becomes an absolute king, or ‘Inquose’.
1837 J. E. Alexander Narr. Voy. W. Afr. I. xvi. 395 Great chiefs (inkosee incoolo) are assisted by amapakati, or counsellors.]
1846 J. C. Brown tr. T. Arbousset & F. Daumas Narr. Explor. (1852) xxvii. 423 As if a Zulu Inkhosi could show clemency!
1899 B. Mitford John Ames x. 96 Policeman he want to see Inkose.
1899 A. de Brémont Son of Afr. xxxii. 251 He was a great Inkosi.
1905 Westm. Gaz. 8 June 2/1 All the members of the kraals concerned will..form,..with the ‘inkosi’, his several wives and their brothers and sisters and children and dependent relatives, a formidable audience.
1910 J. Buchan Prester John xii. 215 Courage, Inkoos; in an hour's time you will be free.
1937 I. Schapera Bantu-speaking Tribes S. Afr. viii. 174 At the head of the whole tribe is the Chief (Nguni, inkosi; Shangana-Tonga, hosi; Venda, khosi; Sotho, morêna, kxosi).
1948 A. Paton Cry, Beloved Country iii. ii. 220 I have thought, inkosi, that we should try to keep some of them in this valley.
Derivatives
inkosikazi n. (also inquosegose etc.) (a) the wife of a chief; (b) native name for a white married woman.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > ethnicities > division of mankind by physical characteristics > white person > [noun] > white woman
squaw1642
memsahib1832
inkosikazi1835
pink toe1930
gringa1956
society > authority > rule or government > rule or government of family or tribe > head of family, tribe, or clan > [noun] > South African > wife of
inkosikazi1835
1835 A. Steedman Wanderings S. Afr. I. x. 256 The Chief having many wives..the sovereignty devolves on the offspring of the Inkose kosi, female chieftain, or queen.
1836 N. Isaacs Trav. E. Afr. (1937) II. 63 All the inquosegoses were present.
1866 H. Robertson Mission Life among Zulu-Kafirs 103 Look, Inkosikazi, here is Mary putting this in my best trowsers.
1878 H. A. Roche On Trek in Transvaal 246 He [sc. the washing Kaffir] acquits himself at his task better than the Inkosigas who bungles hers so sadly.
1948 A. Paton Cry, Beloved Country ii. viii. 175 My heart holds a deep sorrow for you, and for the inkosikazi, and for the young inkosikazi, and for the children.
1969 I. Vaughan Last of Sunlit Years iii. 25 ‘Nkosikaas,’ Moses had asked, ‘what sort of a table is this?’
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1835