ọkunrin

Yoruba

Etymology

It is proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ɔ́-kʊ̃rɪ̃, this form remains the same in Central Yoruba dialects. Cognate with Arigidi ọkọ́ọrẹ. Akinkugbe suggests it may be equivalent to ọkọ (“man”) +‎ ẹni (“person”), compare with obìnrin. The /k/ consonant exists in the roots of many basic male terms, okó (“penis”), akọ (“male”), ọkọ (“husband”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̄.kũ̀.ɾĩ̄/

Noun

ọkùnrin

1. man, male

   Synonym: akọ

   Iná niyì ọdẹ, ẹ̀jẹ̀ niyì oògùn; ká rógun má mà sa, òun niyì ọkùnrin ― Just as fire power is the mark of a hunter, so, blood is the mark of a true medicine; and to see a war, and not run away, is the mark of a man (an incantation to invoke bravery)

   'Mo mọ̀ ọ́ tán', ni Orò ó fi ń gbé ọkùnrin ― The conviction that one knows everything is what causes Òrìṣà Orò to carry away a man (proverb against taking danger for granted)

2. manliness, bravery

   Synonym: ọkàn ọkùnrin

   a gbọ́dọ̀ ṣe bí ọkùnrin lójú ogun ― We must be brave in the battlefield

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ọkùnrin (“man”)
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Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	ọkùnrẹn
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	ọkùnrẹn
				Ìkòròdú	ọkùnrẹn
				Ṣágámù	ọkùnrẹn
		Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)		Òkìtìpupa	ọkùnrẹn
		Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)		Mahin	ọkọ̀nrẹn
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	ọkùnẹn
		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)	ọkọ̀nrẹn
		Usẹn		Usẹn	ọkànrẹn
	Ìtsẹkírì			Ìwẹrẹ	ọnọkẹ̀rẹn
	Olùkùmi			Ugbódù	ọkùnrẹn
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	okùnrin
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	okùnrin
			Mọ̀bà	Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì	okùnrin
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	ọkùnrin
		Ẹ̀gbá		Abẹ́òkúta	ọkùnrin
		Èkó		Èkó	ọkùnrin
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	ọkùnrin
		Ìbàràpá		Igbó Òrà	ọkùnrin
		Ìbọ̀lọ́		Òṣogbo (Òsogbo)	ọkùnrin
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	ọkùnrin
		Oǹkó		Òtù	ọkọ̀nrin
				Ìwéré Ilé	ọkọ̀nrin
				Òkèhò	ọkọ̀nrin
				Ìsẹ́yìn	ọkọ̀nrin
				Ṣakí	ọkọ̀nrin
				Tedé	ọkùnrin
				Ìgbẹ́tì	ọkùnrin
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	ọkùnrin
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	ọkùnrin
				Bɛ̀nɛ̀	ɔkùnrin
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Ìyàgbà		Ìsánlú Ìtẹ̀dó	ọkùnrin
		Owé		Kabba	ọkùnrin
	Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Cábɛ̀ɛ́		Cábɛ̀ɛ́ (Ìdàdú)	ɔkɔ̀in
				Tchaourou	okɔ̀ín
		Ǹcà (Ìcà, Ìncà)		Baàtɛ	okìin
		Ìdàácà	Benin	Igbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)	olokìnrin, olokìrin
		Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-Ìjè	Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/Ìjè	Onigbolo	okìin
			Kétu/Ànàgó	Kétu	ɔkùnrin
		Ifɛ̀		Akpáré	ɔnɛkĩ̀rĩ, ɔnɔkɛ̃̀ɛ̃
				Atakpamɛ	onɛkũ̀rɛ̃, ɔlokùrĩ
				Boko	onɛkìrɛ
				Moretan	onokɛ̃̀rẽ
				Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)	ɔnɔkɛ̃̀ɛ̃
		Kura		Awotébi	ɔkɛ́rɛ́
				Partago	ɔnɔkrɛ̃
		Mɔ̄kɔ́lé		Kandi	inɛ̃mɔkɔ
		Northern Nago		Kambole	okuɛ̃
				Manigri	okùɛ̃
	Overseas Yoruba	Lucumí		Havana	ocuni
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

Coordinate terms

• obìnrin

Derived terms

• ọkàn ọkùnrin (“bravery”)
• ọmọkùnrin (“boy”)
• ọ̀dọ́mọkùnrin (“young man, adolescent boy”)
• ọ̀gá-ilé-ìwé lọ́kùnrin (“headmaster”)
• ìfẹ́-ọkùnrin-sọ́kùnrin (“homosexuality”)

References

• Adebayo, Taofeeq SOME DIACHRONIC CHANGES IN YORUBA GRAMMAR [1], 2020