kanga

Where does the word "kanga" come from? It comes from Swahili kanga, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Kanga’s story begins in Swahili: kanga meant “speckled guineafowl.” The printed cotton cloth was named for its resemblance to the speckled bird's markings. It reached English by 1900s as kanga. Each kanga carries a printed Swahili proverb or saying. Today, kanga means a brightly coloured, patterned cotton cloth worn as a wrap in East Africa.

1. Stage 1 · Swahili · 1800s kanga "speckled guineafowl", the printed cotton cloth was named for its resemblance to the speckled bird's markings.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s kanga "a brightly patterned cotton wrap", each kanga carries a printed Swahili proverb or saying.