gurbaba

Nubi

Alternative forms

• kurbaba

Etymology

From Sudanese Arabic قرباب (gurbāb, “dress worn by women around the waist”).

Noun

gurbába

1. panties (women's undergarment)

Usage notes

This is one of the few words where k and g are interchangeable. Others include galamoyo or kalamoyo and makas (In Uganda) or magas (in Kenya).

References

• Ineke Wellens (2005) The Nubi Language of Uganda: an Arabic Creole in Africa, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, →ISBN, page 48