Ẹsinmirin

Yoruba

Alternative forms

• Ẹ̀sìmìrìn

Etymology

Possibly from ẹ̀- +‎ sìnmìrìn, which in term may be constructed to Proto-Yoruboid *ò-sĩ̀mĩ̀lì. Likely related to Igbo òsìmìlì (“river”), Igbo Òsìmìlì (“Niger river”), and Igala òhìmìnì (“a major river”). While the term only exists as the name of a mythological river found in an oral story, it may have originally been used as a term for any large body of water, similar to the Niger river, as the Proto-Yoruboid, and then Proto-Yoruba speakers migrated into Yorubaland and came upon many different large bodies of waters. The term likely was used in reference to the Niger river, the major body of water Proto-Yoruboid speakers would have known and likely worshipped. It is potentially an older cognate with Igbo mmiri (“water”) and thus potentially a Doublet of omi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̀.sĩ̀.mĩ̀.ɾĩ̀/

Noun

Ẹ̀sìnmìrìn

1. (obsolete) any big river or body of water, usually referring to the Niger river

Proper noun

Ẹ̀sìnmìrìn

1. (obsolete) Niger river; the spirit of the Niger river

   Synonym: Odò Ọya

2. (by extension, mythology) a body of water in the town of Ifẹ̀, featured in the story of Mọrèmí. The fact that there exists no well known river in Ifẹ̀ that is known as the Ẹ̀sìnmìnrìn may suggest the story points to the Niger river or the use of the term as one for a general large body of water
3. (by extension, mythology) a female water divinity believed to be the spirit of the Ẹ̀sìnmìrìn river