mbube

Where does the word "mbube" come from? It comes from Zulu imbube, and was adopted directly into English (1939).

Mbube’s story begins in Zulu: imbube meant “lion.” An everyday Zulu word for the animal. It reached English by 1939 as mbube. Named after Solomon Linda's 1939 recording "Mbube," later reworked as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Today, mbube means a style of energetic Zulu a cappella singing, later the basis for the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".

1. Stage 1 · Zulu · ancient imbube "lion", an everyday Zulu word for the animal.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1939 mbube "a powerful, energetic style of Zulu a cappella singing", named after Solomon Linda's 1939 recording "Mbube," later reworked as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".