iyawo

Yoruba

Alternative forms

ị̀yàwó (Ekiti)

Etymology

A Folk etymology suggests it is from ìyà (“suffering, punishment”) +‎ Ìwó (“Iwo town”), literally “The suffering I experienced in Ìwó town”. The story originates from several verses of the odù Ifá chapter Ogbèyọ̀nú, in which the orisha Ọ̀rúnmìlà married a woman in the town of Ìwó and she proceeds to mistreated him severely, yet he still maintained his patience.

Compare Nupe yàwó.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ì.jà.wó/

Noun

ìyàwó

(dated) junior wife; (the other wives in a polygamous marriage not the senior wife)
Antonym: ìyáálé
(by extension) wife
Synonyms: aya, obìnrin

Derived terms

ìgbéyàwó (“wedding”)

Related terms

orogún

Descendants

→ Krio: yawo
→ Nupe: yawo

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