rẹwa

Yoruba

Etymology

From rẹ +‎ ẹwà.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɾɛ̄.wà/

Verb

rẹwà

1. to be beautiful; to be handsome

   Synonym: lẹ́wà

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - rẹwà (“to be beautiful, handsome”)
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Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	rẹwà
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	rẹwà
				Ìkòròdú	rẹwà
				Ṣágámù	rẹwà
		Ìkálẹ̀		Òkìtìpupa	hẹngwà
		Ìlàjẹ		Mahin	hẹngwà, ghẹngwà
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	sẹngwà
		Ọ̀wọ̀		Ọ̀wọ̀	sẹngwà
		Usẹn		Usẹn	hẹngwà
	Olùkùmi			Ugbódù	ègwà
Proto-Yoruba	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	rẹwà
		Ẹ̀gbá		Abẹ́òkúta	rẹwà
		Èkó		Èkó	rẹwà
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	rẹwà
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	rẹwà
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	rẹwà
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	rẹwà
				Bɛ̀nɛ̀	rɛwà
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé		Kabba	hunwà
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.

Derived terms

• arẹwà (“someone who is beautiful”)
• rẹwà bí egbin (“to be as beautiful as a kob antelope”)
• òbùrẹ́wà (“ugliness”)