pumbaa

Swahili

Etymology

Probably connected with pumba (“lump; clod of earth”), following a sense of “be lumpish, heavy”

Verb

pumbaa

1. To be foolish, silly, weak-minded, careless, negligent.

   pumbaa kazi — take no pains about a job, do it carelessly, be idle

Related terms

• pumbaza (“befool, make a fool of, treat as a fool, deceive, play jokes upon”)
• jipumbaza (“be stupid on purpose, pretend to be a fool”)
• pumbazwa, pumbazika (“be made a fool of, be duped”)

References

• "Pumbaa" in Swahili-English Dictionary