agbalẽ

Ewe

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Possibly from agba (“scaffolding”) +‎ lẽ (“species of forest tree”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /à.ɡ͡bà.lẽ̀/

Noun

àgbàlẽ̀ (definite singular àgbàlẽ̀ lá or àgbàlẽ̀à, plural àgbàlẽ̀wó, definite plural àgbàlẽ̀àwó)

book, notebook
letter (written or printed communication)
Synonym: lɛta
paper
Synonym: pepa
(archaic) leather
Synonyms: agbadze, lãgbadze, lãgbalẽ, ŋuti
(archaic) skin, fur, hide (of living creatures)
Synonyms: agbadze, ayi, lã, lãfu (“fur”), ŋuti

Derived terms

agbalẽ babla (“bookbinding”)
agbalẽ dada (“map, chart”)
agbalẽ kakla (“wrapping paper”)
agbalẽ ŋɔŋlɔ (“notebook”)
agbalẽ xexlẽa (“reading book”)
agbalẽdɔwɔla (“intellectual (person)”)
agbalẽɖaka (“bookcase”)
agbalẽɖoɖala (“shipper”)
agbalẽdzraƒe (“bookshop”)
agbalẽdzrala (“bookseller”)
agbalẽfiala (“teacher”) (archaic)
agbalẽgo, agbalẽgolo (“cardboard”)
agbalẽkaklã (“notice”)
agbalẽkotoku (“envelope”)
agbalẽkɔba (“bookshelf”) (archaic)
agbalẽkpetela (“tanner”) (archaic)
agbalẽmanyala (“illiterate person”)
agbalẽŋlɔga (“nib of a pen”)
agbalẽŋlɔgagoe (“pencil case”)
agbalẽŋlɔla (“author, writer”)
agbalẽŋlɔti (“penholder”)
agbalẽtaƒe (“printing house”)
agbalẽtala (“printmaker”)
agbalẽti (“bookshelf”)
agbalẽvi (“booklet”)
agbalẽvɔ (“kente cloth”)
agbalẽvɔ̃ (“punishment”, like skinning; figurative, literally “bad skin”)
agbalẽxexlẽ (“reading”)
agbalẽxlela (“lector, reader”)
agbalẽxɔ (“library”)

References

Westermann, Dietrich Verfasser (1905) “agbalẽ”, in Wörterbuch der Ewe-Sprache [Dictionary of the Ewe language]‎^[1] (in German), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, section I, page 164
Westermann, Dietrich Verfasser (1906) “agbalẽ”, in Wörterbuch der Ewe-Sprache [Dictionary of the Ewe language]‎^[2] (in German), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, section II, pages 35-6, 136
Jim-Fugar, Dr. M.K.N., Jim-Fugar, Nicholine (2017) “agbalẽ”, in Nuseline's Ewe-English Dictionary, 1st edition, Togo: Independently published, →ISBN, pages 14-5