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baalẹ. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
baalẹ, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
baalẹ in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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Yoruba
Etymology
From baba (“father”) + oní (“one who has”) + ilẹ̀ (“land”), literally “Father of the town”.
Pronunciation
Noun
baálẹ̀
- In pre-colonial Yoruba society, the head or ruler of a small village or a town. In modern day Nigeria, most baálẹ̀ have been recognized as a king of their own respective village.
- baálórí l'ó nilórí, baálẹ̀ l'ó nìlú, òun sì lọkọ ìlú, ṣùgbọ́n ọba l'ó nilẹ̀ ― The husband owns the house, and the baálẹ̀ owns the village, he is the lord of the community, but the king owns the land (proverb on authority)
Derived terms
- Baálẹ̀ (“a title given to a baálẹ̀”)