List of Jamaican Patois words of African origin

Akan language

Accompong

from the Asante name: Acheampong

ackee

from ánkyẽ, "a type of food/fruit", "cashew fruits"

adopi

from adópé, a ghost, often written in Jamaican English as "duppy"

adrue

from adúru and Ewe adrú, "medicine, cure"

afasia, afasayah

from afaséw and Ewe afaséɛ, "inferior wild yam"

afu

from afúw to mean plantation and became "yam" in Jamaica.

ahpetti

from o-peyi, a certain amulet

akam

a wild and inferior yam

anansi

"spider", also from Ewe

bafan

from Bɔfran to mean a baby or toddler. A child that did not lean to walk between ages 2 and 7

broni

to mean a white person

casha

from kasɛ́ "thorn"

dokunu

(also known as blue draws or tire leaf in Jamaica) food; from dɔkono, a dessert item similar to bread pudding.

dopi, dupi

from dupon to mean odom tree root which became "ghost" in Jamaica

doti

"ground"

cocobay

from kokobé, "leprosy"

kongkos

"gossip"

mumu

"dumb", "stupid", also from Ewe and Mende

nana

"grandparent"

odum

a type of tree

opete

"vulture"

paki

from apakyi to mean calabash

patu

"owl"

poto-poto

"mud", "muddy", also from Igbo

red-eye

from ani bere to mean envy

se

that, also from English say .

Efik language

buckra

from mbakára, "white man"

Ewe language

afasia, afasayah

from afaséɛ and Akan afaséw, "inferior wild yam"

anansi

"spider", also from Akan

kaba-kaba

'unreliable, inferior, worthless', also from Yoruba

mumu

"dumb", also from Akan and Mende

Fula language

juk

from "Jukka", "poke", "spur"

Igbo language

akara

from àkàrà, type of food, also from Ewe and Yoruba

attoo

from átú, "chewing stick"

big-eye

via Gullah "big eye" from Igbo "anya ukwu", "greedy"

breechee

from mbùríchì, an Nri-Igbo nobleman

door-mouth

claque from ọ́nụ́ ụ́zọ̀ (mouth + door), 'doorway'

chink, chinch

from chị́nchị̀, 'bedbug'

country ibo

from Ị̀gbò, Pluchea odorata or Ptisana purpurascens

de, deh

from dị, [with adverbial] "is" (to be)

hard-head

from ísí íké, (head + hard, strength), 'obstinate

himba

from mba, "yam root", a type of yam, Rajania cordata

obeah

from ọbiạ, "doctoring", "mysticism"

okra

from ọkwurụ, a vegetable

poto-poto

from "opoto-opoto", mkpọtọ-mkpọtọ, "mud", "muddy", also from Akan

red Ibo, Eboe

from Ị̀gbò, a person with a light skin colour or a mulatto of mixed parentage

se

from sị, "quote follows", also from Akan se and English say

soso

from sọsọ "only"

unu

from únù, "you (plural)"

Kongo language

dingki

funeral ceremony

dundus

"albino", "white person", "European" from ndundu

djumbi

"ghost"

pinda

"peanut"

poto-poto

"mud", "muddy", also from Akan, Igbo and Yoruba

Yoruba language

mumu

"dumb", also from Ewe

kaba-kaba

'unreliable, inferior, worthless', also from Ewe

Wolof language

yam

from njam, nyam, "eat"