Adunni Ogundimu

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Lamba Definitions by Adunni Ogundimu

29 definitions

1

A Yoruba phrase of encouragement meaning 'Be strong' or 'don鈥檛 be weak'.

"I know it's tough, but ma f贸o."

Pronunciation:/m蓱藧 fo蕣/
Origin:Directly from the Yoruba language, where 'f贸' can mean to break. So, 'ma f贸o' means 'don't break'.
Part of Speech:Imperative Phrase
Synonyms:Be strong, Endure
More Examples:
Popularized by:Used to encourage resilience and strength in the face of challenges.
2

A cool, concise, and informal way to say 'Okay', 'I agree', or 'Alright'. It signifies affirmation or confirmation.

"Let's meet at 7? Bet."

Pronunciation:/b蓻t/
Origin:A global slang term, shortened from 'you bet'.
Part of Speech:Interjection
Synonyms:Okay, Alright, Sure
More Examples:
"You got the tickets? Bet."
Popularized by:Adopted into Nigerian Gen Z slang for its efficiency in communication, common in texting and online chats.
3

A command for someone to be serious, to stop joking, or to cease being frivolous about a situation.

"This is a serious matter, stop playing."

Pronunciation:/st蓲p 藞ple瑟瑟艐/
Origin:An English phrase adopted into slang.
Part of Speech:Imperative Phrase
Synonyms:Be serious, Dey play
More Examples:
"He needs to get a job and stop playing with his life."
Popularized by:A popular slang in 2024, used by Nigerians to urge others to be more focused and less carried away by trivial matters. It is similar in meaning to 'Dey play'.
4

To be alerting, bouncing, or lively. It describes a state of high energy and vibrancy.

"The party o ta k茅b茅."

Pronunciation:/o蕣 t蓱藧 ke瑟be瑟/
Origin:A Yoruba slang phrase.
Part of Speech:Adjective Phrase
Synonyms:Lively, Bouncing
More Examples:
"She's always full of life, o ta k茅b茅."
Popularized by:Used to describe a lively atmosphere or a person with high energy.
5

A Yoruba phrase meaning something is 'well ingrained or embedded'.

"The lesson o f贸k谩 s铆b猫 in my mind."

Pronunciation:/o蕣 fo蕣k蓱藧 si藧b蓻/
Origin:Directly from the Yoruba language.
Part of Speech:Adjective Phrase
Synonyms:Deeply ingrained
More Examples:
Popularized by:Used to describe something that is deeply set or established.
6

An idiomatic expression used to describe something that started jokingly, casually, or unseriously but eventually led to a serious or significant outcome.

"Like play like play, the small argument turned into a big fight."

Pronunciation:/la瑟k ple瑟 la瑟k ple瑟/
Origin:A descriptive Pidgin phrase that captures the transition from playfulness to seriousness.
Part of Speech:Adverbial Phrase
Synonyms:Unexpectedly, Jokingly
More Examples:
"She started the business like play like play, now she's a CEO."
Popularized by:A very common Nigerian idiom used to narrate stories of unexpected developments.
7

A Yoruba phrase meaning 'You said what?'. It is used to express surprise or to ask for clarification.

"E nipe? You're leaving already?"

Pronunciation:/蓻 nip蓻/
Origin:Directly from the Yoruba language.
Part of Speech:Interrogative Phrase
Synonyms:You said what?, What did you say?
More Examples:
Popularized by:Used in conversations to react to something surprising or unclear.
8

A declaration of truthfulness, meaning 'no lie', 'for real', or 'I'm not exaggerating'.

"This is the best movie I've ever seen, no cap."

Pronunciation:/no蕣 k忙p/
Origin:A global slang term originating from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), where 'cap' means a lie or exaggeration.
Part of Speech:Adverbial Phrase
Synonyms:For real, No lie, Gaskiya
More Examples:
"I'm telling you the truth, no cap."
Popularized by:Widely adopted by Nigerian youth from global internet culture to signify authenticity and honesty in a statement.
9

Fairly used or second-hand goods, especially those imported from abroad.

"He bought a tokunbo car."

Pronunciation:/to蕣藞k蕦nbo蕣/
Origin:A Yoruba word that literally means 'from over the sea'. It was originally a name given to children born abroad, but its meaning shifted to refer to imported goods.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Second-hand, Fairly used, Belgian
More Examples:
"Tokunbo phones are cheaper."
Popularized by:A very common term in Nigeria for imported second-hand items, especially cars and electronics.
10

A slang term for rubbish, nonsense, or something worthless.

"Wetin you dey talk na jack robinson."

Pronunciation:/d蕭忙k 藞r蓲b瑟ns蓹n/
Origin:The origin is unclear, but it repurposes the English name 'Jack Robinson' for a completely different, derogatory meaning.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Nonsense, Rubbish
More Examples:
"Don't listen to him, he's talking Jack Robinson."
Popularized by:An old but still understood slang for dismissing something as nonsense.
11

A slang phrase meaning 'the girls are stripping' or dancing provocatively.

"At the party last night, the shenkiz dem just dey matrix."

Pronunciation:/冒蓹 蕛蓻艐ki藧z d蓻m d蕭蕦st de瑟 藞me瑟tr瑟ks/
Origin:'Shenkiz' is a slang term for girls. 'Matrix' is used metaphorically, possibly referencing the movie 'The Matrix' and its slow-motion or reality-bending scenes, to describe a captivating or intense dance.
Part of Speech:Sentence
Synonyms:The girls are dancing, The girls are twerking
More Examples:
Popularized by:A niche street slang used to describe activities at parties or clubs.
12

A Yoruba slang term for an imbecile or a foolish person.

"Only a b貌l貌 would make that mistake."

Pronunciation:/b蓴藧l蓴藧/
Origin:Directly from the Yoruba language.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Imbecile, Fool, Mumu
More Examples:
Popularized by:An informal insult.
13

A Yoruba slang term for a fraudster, a trickster, or a con artist.

"Be careful of that man, he is a gbajue."

Pronunciation:/伞b蓱藧d蕭u藧e瑟/
Origin:Directly from the Yoruba language.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Fraudster, Trickster, 419, Wayo person
More Examples:
"He used gbajue tactics to get the money."
Popularized by:Used to describe someone who is deceptive and fraudulent in their dealings.
14

Old-fashioned, rickety, or outdated.

"He is still driving that lan脿 car."

Pronunciation:/l蓱藧n蓱藧/
Origin:A Yoruba slang term.
Part of Speech:Adjective
Synonyms:Old-fashioned, Rickety, Outdated
More Examples:
"Her style of dressing is lan脿."
Popularized by:Used to describe something that is old and not in good condition.
15

The Yoruba word for buttocks or 'ass'.

"She has a big 矛k茅b猫."

Pronunciation:/瑟ke瑟b蓻/
Origin:Directly from the Yoruba language.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Buttocks, Ass, Backside, Nyash, Bakassi
More Examples:
Popularized by:A common, sometimes crude, term for the backside, used in general slang across Nigeria.
16

To achieve great fame or success, especially suddenly or unexpectedly. It is most commonly used in the context of the entertainment industry.

"That guy go soon blow, his music is good."

Pronunciation:/blo蕣/
Origin:From the English phrase 'blow up', meaning to become popular suddenly.
Part of Speech:Verb
Synonyms:Become famous, Make it big, Breakthrough
More Examples:
"After that hit song, the artist blow."
Popularized by:A very common term in the Nigerian music and film industries to describe an artist's breakthrough.
17

A slang verb meaning to die or to kill.

"If you cross me again, I go mud you."

Pronunciation:/m蕦d/
Origin:The origin is not specified, but it's a harsh, informal term.
Part of Speech:Verb
Synonyms:Kill, Die, Kpai
More Examples:
"The guy mud for the accident."
Popularized by:Used in street language, often in a very serious or threatening context.
18

An expression used to describe someone or something as being 'Smart & Dope'. It signifies something is cool, stylish, and on point.

"Your new look, o sha pra pra!"

Pronunciation:/o蕣 蕛蓱藧 pr蓱藧 pr蓱藧/
Origin:A Yoruba slang phrase. 'O sha' means 'it is' or 'you are', and 'pra pra' is an ideophone for freshness or sharpness.
Part of Speech:Adjective Phrase
Synonyms:Dope, Cool, On point, Sharp
More Examples:
"That move was o sha pra pra."
Popularized by:Popularized in street language and music to compliment someone's appearance, intelligence, or style.
19

A declaration of deep affection, loyalty, and unwavering support between close friends or family. It translates to 'You're my person' or 'I've got your back'.

"Don't worry about anything, na me get you."

Pronunciation:/n蓱藧 mi藧 伞蓻t ju藧/
Origin:A Pidgin English phrase expressing a strong sense of ownership and responsibility over a relationship.
Part of Speech:Declarative Phrase
Synonyms:I've got your back, You're my person
More Examples:
"She's my best friend, na me get her."
Popularized by:Used among very close friends, family members, and romantic partners to express strong bonds. A common retort is 'No be you get me o. Na God get me,' which playfully acknowledges divine ownership over human loyalty.
20

To promote, praise excessively, or create excitement about something.

"Make you hype your friend small."

Pronunciation:/haip/
Origin:English word adopted into Nigerian slang.
Part of Speech:verb
Synonyms:praise, promote, boost
More Examples:
"Don't over hype the thing."
"The song get plenty hype."
Popularized by:Nigerian entertainment industry.
Since:1995
21

An exclamation meaning 'This is too much', 'That鈥檚 massive', 'it鈥檚 a lot', or 'very impressive'. It is used to express surprise or awe at the scale or abundance of something.

"You just bought three iPhones? O por!"

Pronunciation:/o蕣 p蓴藧r/
Origin:A Yoruba slang, a corruption of 'O por', which means 'it is plenty'.
Part of Speech:Interjection
Synonyms:It's plenty, It's a lot, O yapa, Impressive
More Examples:
"The crowd at the concert, o'poor!"
Popularized by:A very popular slang, especially on social media, used to react to impressive displays of wealth, talent, or anything in large quantity.
22

An onomatopoeic phrase mimicking the sound of successive blows or punches. It refers to a heated exchange, a rapid back-and-forth argument, or a confrontation.

"The argument on Twitter was full of gbas gbos."

Pronunciation:/伞b蓱藧s 伞bo蕣s/
Origin:Onomatopoeia representing the sound of impact.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Heated argument, Back-and-forth, Vawulence
More Examples:
"The two politicians were giving each other gbas gbos during the interview."
Popularized by:Commonly used on social media to describe intense online arguments, debates, or 'savage' replies. It can also refer to physical altercations.
23

A term for fraud, scams, or a fraudster. It refers to the act of obtaining property or money by false pretenses.

"Be careful, that online investment looks like 419."

Pronunciation:/f蓴藧r-w蕦n-na瑟n/
Origin:Derived directly from Section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code, which penalizes the act of fraud. The term has gained international notoriety due to advance-fee scams.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Fraud, Scam, Wayo, Yahoo Yahoo
More Examples:
"He is a known 419."
Popularized by:Widely used in Nigeria and internationally to refer to Nigerian-related scams. It has been included in the Oxford English Dictionary.
24

Proof or evidence of a claim, typically in the form of screenshots of messages, photos, or other digital documentation.

"Don't just accuse her, show us the receipts."

Pronunciation:/r瑟藞si藧ts/
Origin:A metaphorical use of the word 'receipt' (proof of purchase), extended to mean proof of a statement or event.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Proof, Evidence, Screenshots
More Examples:
"She posted the receipts of their conversation on Twitter."
Popularized by:A term popularized in global online discourse, especially in arguments, celebrity drama, and 'cancel culture'. It has been adopted by Nigerian social media users to demand evidence to back up claims.
25

Much Respected; a term for someone who commands a lot of respect.

"He is a gbaayii man in the community."

Pronunciation:/伞b蓱藧ji藧/
Origin:A Yoruba slang term.
Part of Speech:Adjective
Synonyms:Respected, Honorable
More Examples:
Popularized by:Used to describe a highly respected individual.
26

An upgraded version of 'No Wam', meaning 'fewer problems' or 'no problems'.

"I just want to live a wamless life."

Pronunciation:/藞w忙ml蓻s/
Origin:A creative derivation from the slang 'Wam' (problem), combined with the English suffix '-less'.
Part of Speech:Adjective
Synonyms:Problem-free
More Examples:
"Since I got paid, my life is wamless."
Popularized by:Emerged in 2024 as a derivative of 'No Wam', used to express a state of being problem-free.
27

A witty, sarcastic, and indirect way to tell someone to 'keep quiet', 'mind their own business', or 'relax'. It implies the person is talking nonsense or being overly serious.

"You think you can become a millionaire overnight? Oya, go warm eba."

Pronunciation:/伞o蕣 w蓴藧rm 蓻b蓱藧/
Origin:A creative phrase referencing 'Eba', a staple Nigerian food made from garri. The mundane act of warming food is used to suggest the person should find something simple and non-disruptive to do.
Part of Speech:Imperative Phrase
Synonyms:Mind your business, Keep quiet, Relax
More Examples:
"He was talking rubbish in the group chat, so I told him to go warm eba."
Popularized by:Gained traction on social media platforms like Twitter (X) in 2024 as a humorous way to dismiss someone's comment or argument without being directly disrespectful.
28

A slang term for dressing in a very cool, trendy, or fashionable way, often implying expensive or designer attire. It refers to an overall stylish appearance.

"Check out his drip, everything is designer."

Pronunciation:/dr瑟p/
Origin:A term that originated in American hip-hop culture and spread globally.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Style, Swag, Steeze, Fashion
More Examples:
"She came to the party with so much drip."
Popularized by:Widely adopted in Nigeria, especially in music and youth culture, to compliment someone's stylish outfit or swag. It reflects the emphasis on fashion and status.
29

In slang context, it refers to maintaining calm confidence and grace, especially under pressure. It's a reminder to stay in control and not lose one's cool.

"Even when they insulted him, he kept his composure."

Pronunciation:/k蓹m藞po蕣蕭蓹r/
Origin:From the English word 'composure', but adopted into slang with a specific emphasis on maintaining grace in challenging social or economic situations.
Part of Speech:Noun
Synonyms:Calmness, Poise, Self-control
More Examples:
"In this Lagos, you need steeze and composure to survive."
Popularized by:Popularized in 2024 alongside 'Steeze'. A viral image of a young, dapper Kanayo O. Kanayo was often cited as the perfect embodiment of 'Steeze and Composure'.

User Statistics

Total Lamba:29
Total Votes:899
Average Votes:31

Most Popular Lamba

Ma f贸o

A Yoruba phrase of encouragement meaning 'Be strong' or 'don鈥檛 be weak'.

54 votes