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Definition of dande
dande
/ˈdɑːn.deɪ/
dan · de
dande Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A river in northern Angola that rises in the Crystal Mountains and flows westward, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.
Example
"The town of Barra do Dande is situated directly at the mouth of the Dande river."
2
A historical and geographical region in northern Zimbabwe, located within the Zambezi Valley and deeply significant in Shona cultural and spiritual traditions.
Example
"In Shona oral history, the Dande region is heavily associated with powerful ancestral lineages and spirit mediums."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from local Bantu languages. In Angola, it acts as a hydronym for the river, while in Zimbabwe, it originates from Shona to describe the northern valley region.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dande. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dande