obinrin

Yoruba

Etymology

Etymology is uncertain, several linguistic hypotheses exist. It is proposed to derive from Proto-Yoruboid *ɔ́-bɪ̃̀rɪ̃, this form still exists in Central Yoruba dialects. Akinkugbe suggests it may be equivalent to abo (“female”) +‎ ẹni (“person”). The consonant /b/ exists in several basic female words, including òbò (“vagina”), abo (“female”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ō.bĩ̀.ɾĩ̄/

Noun

obìnrin

woman, female
Synonym: abo

bí ọkùnrín bá rí ejò, tí obìnrin sì pa á, kò burú; kí ejò ṣáà má ti lọ
If a man sees a snake, and a woman kills it, that is not bad; the important thing is for the snake not to escape
wife
Synonyms: aya, ìyàwó

èyí t'ó wù ẹ́ kò wù mí ni kò jẹ́ k'á pawó pọ̀ láti fẹ́ obìnrin
What appeals to you may not appeal to me, this is why we cannot pool our financial resources together to marry one wife
(proverb on personal preference)

Synonyms

Yoruba varieties and languages: obìnrin (“woman”)
view map; edit data
Language family	Variety group	Variety/language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)		Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)	obìnrẹn
		Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	obìrẹn, obìnrẹn
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	obìrẹn, obìnrẹn
				Ìkòròdú	obìrẹn, obìnrẹn
				Ṣágámù	obìrẹn, obìnrẹn
		Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)		Òkìtìpupa	obìnrẹn
		Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)		Mahin	obìrẹn
		Oǹdó		Oǹdó	obìẹn
		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)	obìnrẹn
		Usẹn		Usẹn	obìrẹn
	Ìtsẹkírì			Ìwẹrẹ	onobìrẹn
	Olùkùmi			Ugbódù	obìnrẹn
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	ọbị̀nrịn, ọbụ̀rịn
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	ọbị̀nrịn, ọbụ̀rịn
			Mọ̀bà	Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì	ọbị̀nrịn, ọbụ̀rịn
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì		Èbúté Mẹ́tà	obìnrin
		Ẹ̀gbádò		Ìjàká	obìnrẹn
		Èkó		Èkó	obìnrin
		Ìbàdàn		Ìbàdàn	obìnrin
		Ìbàràpá		Igbó Òrà	obìnrin
		Ìbọ̀lọ́		Òṣogbo (Òsogbo)	obìnrin
		Ìlọrin		Ìlọrin	obìnrin
		Oǹkó		Òtù	obìnrin
				Ìwéré Ilé	obìnrin
				Òkèhò	obìnrin
				Ìsẹ́yìn	obìnrin
				Ṣakí	obìnrin
				Tedé	obìnrin
				Ìgbẹ́tì	obìnrin
		Ọ̀yọ́		Ọ̀yọ́	obìnrin
		Standard Yorùbá		Nàìjíríà	obìnrin
		Standard Yorùbá		Bɛ̀nɛ̀	obìnrin
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé		Kabba	óbùnrin
	Ede languages/Southwest Yoruba	Cábɛ̀ɛ́		Cábɛ̀ɛ́ (Ìdàdú)	obìin
		Cábɛ̀ɛ́		Tchaourou	obìin
		Ǹcà (Ìcà, Ìncà)		Baàtɛ	obìin
		Ìdàácà	Benin	Igbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)	olobìnrin
		Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-Ìjè	Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/Ìjè	Ìkpòbɛ́	obirɛn
			Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/Ìjè	Onigbolo	obìnrɛn
			Kétu/Ànàgó	Kétu	obìnrin
		Ifɛ̀		Akpáré	ɔnɔbɛ̃̀ɛ̃, ɔbĩrĩ
				Atakpamɛ	onɛbùɛ̃, ɔlɔbìrĩ
				Boko	onɛ̃bìrɛ̃
				Moretan	onõbɛ̃rɛ̃
				Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)	ɔnɔbɛ̃̀ɛ̃
		Kura		Awotébi	ɔ́gbɛ́rɛ́
		Kura		Partago	ɔnɔbrɛ̃
		Mɔ̄kɔ́lé		Kandi	inã́ábo
		Northern Nago		Kambole	ɔɡuɛ̃
		Northern Nago		Manigri	obùɛ
	Overseas Yoruba	Lucumí		Havana	obiní
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

Coordinate terms

ọkùnrin

Derived terms

ẹrúbìnrin (“female slave”)
ẹ̀kọ́ àìsàn-obìnrin (“gynecology”)
ọbabìnrin (“queen”)
ọmọbìnrin (“girl”)
ọmọdébìnrin (“adolescent girl”)
ọ̀gá-ilé-ìwé lóbìnrin (“headmistress”)
ìmọ̀ ìtọ́jú ẹ̀yà-ara-obìnrin (“gynecology”)
ìránṣẹ́bìnrin (“maid”)

References

Adebayo, Taofeeq SOME DIACHRONIC CHANGES IN YORUBA GRAMMAR , 2020