shabani
shabani Lexical Profile
• noun
A common Swahili and Arabic given name or surname, traditionally given to a male child born during the Islamic month of Sha'ban.
"Mr. Shabani welcomed the delegates to the cultural conference in Dar es Salaam."
The former name of Zvishavane, a mining town in south-central Zimbabwe that was historically significant for its large asbestos deposits.
"Historical maps from the mid-twentieth century label the mining settlement as Shabani."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the town in Zimbabwe, 'Shabani' is the historical colonial-era name, which was officially changed to Zvishavane in 1982 to reflect the local Karanga dialect.
• Rhymes for shabani
Word Origin & Etymology
As a name, it derives from Arabic 'Sha'ban' (the eighth month of the Islamic calendar) with a Swahili suffix. The Zimbabwean town name is believed to derive from a local chief or from the word 'zvikomo zvishava' meaning 'red hills'.