asili

From Swahili asili (“origin”); introduced in this sense by Marimba Ani.

asili (uncountable)

1. (anthropology) The central seed or "germinating matrix" of a culture.
   • 2002, Susan Hawthorne, Wild Politics: Feminism, Globalisation, Bio/diversity, page 381:

     Law, religion and worldview emerge from the chrysalis of the asili. In western culture, the asili is characterised by separation and universalism.

• Salii

asili m

1. plural of asilo

• liasi, lisai, salii

asīlī

1. inflection of asīlus:
   1. nominative/vocative plural
   2. genitive singular

Borrowed from Arabic أَصْل (ʔaṣl).

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

asili class IX (plural asili class X)

1. origin

   Synonym: asasi

• Verbal derivations:
  • Causative: -asilisha (“to adopt”)

• Nominal derivations:
  • asilimia (“percent”)

• Other derivations:
  • kiasili (“traditional”)