oba

American

[aw-buh] / ˈɔ bə /

noun

a hereditary tribal ruler among various peoples in the Benin region of western Africa.

oba British

/ ˈɔːbɑː, -bə /

noun

(in W Africa) a Yoruba chief or ruler

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of oba

First recorded in 1900–05, oba is from the Edo word ɔ́bá

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Formal demands for the return of some of Africa's best-known artefacts - the Benin Bronzes - were made as early as the 1930s by the Nigerian kingdom's then monarch, Oba Akenzua II.

From BBC

“But I do respect Oba chan,” Sadako said.

From Literature

Oba chan’s picture was there in a gold frame.

From Literature

Sadako had written Oba chan’s name on the side of her lantern.

From Literature

“Oba chan’s spirit must be pleased to see how ladylike her granddaughter has become.”

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023