noun
- A man or master, especially a European man in East Africa; used as a form of address or respectful title.
Usage: From Swahili; Historical/colonial context; Primarily used in East African English
Examples
- The safari guide addressed the expedition leader as 'Bwana.'
- In colonial East Africa, local workers often called their employers 'bwana.'
- The hotel manager was respectfully greeted as Bwana by the staff.
- Bwana is a Swahili word that entered English through contact in Kenya and Tanzania.