Simba

/ˈsɪmbə/ noun

Definition

A lion, especially in Swahili; also famous as the main character in Disney's The Lion King.

Etymology

From Swahili 'simba' meaning lion. The word entered English pop culture through the movie The Lion King (1994), though it comes from the Bantu language family spoken in East Africa.

Kelly Says

Disney's use of 'Simba' is clever cultural borrowing—by naming their lion in Swahili, they signaled that the story was set in Africa, which is more authentic than just calling him 'Lion,' but it also means many English kids learned Swahili without realizing it.

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