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Stage 1 of 4
zaghaya
Berber · medieval
"a spear"
a Berber word for a slender throwing spear used across North Africa
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Stage 2 of 4
az-zaghayah
Arabic · medieval
"a spear"
Arabic absorbed the Berber word along with its definite article
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Stage 3 of 4
azagaia
Portuguese · 1500s
"a light throwing spear"
Portuguese explorers adopted the term while trading along the African coast
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Stage 4 of 4
assegai
English · 1600s
"a slender, iron-tipped spear used by southern African peoples"
entered English through accounts of southern African warfare, especially Zulu weaponry
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