assagai

[ as-uh-gahy ]
/ ˈæs əˌgaɪ /

noun, plural as·sa·gais, verb (used with object), as·sa·gaied, as·sa·gai·ing.

assegai.

Words nearby assagai

ass-kick, ass-kissing, ass., assad, assad, hafez al-, assagai, assai, assail, assailant, assam, assam states

Definition for assagai (2 of 2)

assegai

or as·sa·gai

[ as-uh-gahy ]
/ ˈæs əˌgaɪ /

noun, plural as·se·gais.

the slender javelin or spear of the Bantu-speaking people of southern Africa.
a southern African tree, Curtisia dentata, of the dogwood family, from whose wood such spears are made.

verb (used with object), as·se·gaied, as·se·gai·ing.

to pierce with an assegai.

Origin of assegai

1615–25; earlier azagaia < Portuguese < Arabic az zaghāyah, equivalent to al the + Berber zaghāyah assegai

Example sentences from the Web for assagai

British Dictionary definitions for assagai (1 of 2)

assagai
/ (ˈæsəˌɡaɪ) /

noun plural -gais

a variant spelling of assegai

British Dictionary definitions for assagai (2 of 2)

assegai

assagai

/ (ˈæsəˌɡaɪ) /

noun plural -gais

a southern African cornaceous tree, Curtisia faginea, the wood of which is used for making spears
a sharp light spear, esp one made of this wood

Word Origin for assegai

C17: from Portuguese azagaia, from Arabic az zaghāyah, from al the + zaghāyah assegai, from Berber