adinkra

noun

adin·​kra ä-ˈdiŋ-krä How to pronounce adinkra (audio)
: a writing system incorporating symbols representing various concepts that is used by the Akan peoples of Ghana to mark fabrics, walls, pottery, and other surfaces
—often used before another noun
Two murals from a Jackson Pollock workshop and two from a West African adinkra printing workshop are on display.—Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 16 Apr. 2007
adinkra cloth [=cloth marked with adinkra symbols]

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Twi adiŋkrá "fabric dyed with red and black stripes and worn as mourning"

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adinkra was in 1925

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Dictionary Entries Near adinkra

ad infinitum

adinkra

adinole

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Cite this Entry

“Adinkra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adinkra. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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