mbilikimo

Swahili

Etymology

Thought to be from mbili (“two”) + kimo (“height”).

Walsh quotes Rebmann: "literally the two-measuring, i.e. twice the measure from the middle finger to the elbow, which of course is an exaggeration, but they are no doubt a diminutive race of men."

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

mbilikimo class I (plural wabilikimo class II)

1. pygmy, dwarf