The language of Oru
Glossary
Words, names, proverbs and deities from Firstborn of the Sun and Heir of the Shadow — drawn from Yorùbá language and cosmology.
211 entries
Words
The everyday tongue of Oru.
Agbára(A)dorn-(Gba)-(Ra)m
Strength
Búbù(Bu)llish-(Boo)k
Long dress
Dùndún
Sweet sound
Aṣọ-òkè(A)xe-(Sho)p (O)rdain-Cas(ca)de
Cloth from the west African hinterland
Ago(A)xe-(Go)liath
Watch/Clock
Ewé-efinrin(A)ble-(Wai)l (A)ble-(Fin)esse-(Rin)ging
Scent-leaf
Agbádá(A)bide-(Gba)-(Dar)ling
Flowing robe-like garment peculiar to males in West African countriess, especially Nigeria
Àmàlà(A)bide-(Mar)quee-(La)nd
Yam flour made to dough with hot water
Gbẹ̀gìrì
Jute mallow and beans soup
Àmàlà àti Gbẹ̀gìrì
Yam flour dough and jute mallow and beans soup
ÀṣíríA(bide)-(Shi)-(Re)quest
Needs to be opened to see
Àkàrà
Bean cake
Àpáta
Rock
Ìran(E)vangel
Vision/Generation
Irú-ọmọ
Offspring/Seed
Àmàlà and Gbẹ̀gìrì
Yam flour, jute mallow and beans soup
Aṣọẹbí
Uniform wear
Àdìrẹ
Tye and Dye favric
Exclamations
Said in shock, in anger, in awe.
Irọ́
False!
Mù'ná jáde
Bring out fire
Ẹ̀ẹ̀wọ̀
Forbidden
Dìde! Fún mi ní agbára rẹ
Stand up! Give me your power
Ọ̀dẹ̀
Fool! Dumb!
Ó ga jù
Outrageous!
Names
Every name carries a meaning.
Abíọ́dúnA-Be-O
Born during a festival/celebration
Àbẹ̀níA-Be-Ni
Begged to have/Begged to be born
Adékọ̀yàA-De-Ko-Ya
The crown (royalty) rejects suffering/We have come to reject suffering
Kọ̀yàKo-Ya
AdémilúàA-De-Mi-Lu-A
The crown brings gathering & celebration/We have come to celebrate
MilúàMi-Lu-A
Àdùkẹ́A-Du-Kẹ
Someone people compete or take turns to care for or pamper
ÀdùnnìA-Du-N-Ni
Sweet to have
ÀjàgbéA-Ja-Gbe
Fought to carry
ÀkànníA-kan-Ni
Possession stumbled upon
AlawaniA-La-wa-ni
Àníkẹ́A-Ni-Ke
To be had and pampered
AníwúràA-Ni-Wu-Ra
Owner of Gold (Wealth)
Àríkẹ́A-Ri-Ke
Loved and pampered upon being seen
ÀṣáA-sha
Eagle
BabátúndéBa-Ba-Tu-N-De
Father Returns
BánkóléBa-N-Ko-Le
Build my house for/together with me
BùnmiBu-N-Mi
Gift(ed) to me
ẸniìtànE-Ni-I-Tan
A historical personage, one born in ways and manners to be remembered
Èyítáyọ̀E-Yi-Ta-Yo
Worth being joyous over
Gbẹ́kẹ̀Gbẹ-Kẹ
Put trust in...
Káyọ̀déKa-Yọ-De
Brings joy along
Kẹ́hìndéKẹ-Yin-De
Last to arrive
KẹniKẹ-Ni
Not a yoruba word but a nickname for for Kéhinde
Máyọ̀wáMa-Yọ-wa
Brings joy along
Mọ́rèmíMọ-Re-Mi
Child that attracts my attention
ỌlátúnjíO-La-Tun-Ji
Wealth Wakes up again
Ọmọ'geỌ-Mọ-Ge
Someone who is particular about appearance and fashion
Ọmọ́tádéO-Mo-Ta-De
Child is up to the Crown/Child is good enough as the crown
Onílẹ̀O-Ni-Le
Owner of the land
OyíndàO-Yin-Da-Mọ-La
Honey mixed with Wealth
OyíndàO-Yin-Da
Rẹ̀míRẹ-Mi
Brings/Brought me joy
ṢẹgẹShẹ-Gẹẹ
A nickname for "Ṣẹgun"
TáíwòTa-I-Wo
Taster the world
TèmiTe-Mi
Mine
TèmiL'ọrẹLọ-Rẹ
Mine's the Gift/This gift is mine
L'ọrẹLọ-Rẹ
Mine's the Gift/This gift is mine
TófaratìTo-Fa-(Ra-Ti)
One that can be rested/relied upon
TofaTo-Fa-(Ra-Ti)
One that can be rested/relied upon
Fúnkẹ́
Given to be cared for
Ọmọlẹwà
Child is beauty
Lẹwà
Short form of Ọmọlẹwà
Abísọ́lá
Born into wealth
Ọlánrewájú
Progressive wealth
Adékùgbé
The crown remains
Aládé
Owner of the Crown
Adérẹ̀mílẹ́kún
Comforted by the crown
Ọmọladùn
Children are sweet
Ládùn
Short form of Ọmọladùn
Àjànàkú
Elephant
Tóyìn
Worthy of Praise
Ọmọ́lékan
One more child
Lékan
Short from of Ọmọ́lékan
Adékọ̀yà
The crown (royalty) rejects suffering/We have come to reject suffering
Adémilúà
The crown brings gathering & celebration/We have come to celebrate
Àkanní
Possession stumbled upon
̀Aníkẹ́
To be had and pampered
Àríké
Loved and pampered upon being seen
Babatúndé
Father Returns
̀TèmiL'ọrẹ
Mine's the Gift/This gift is mine
Tófaratì
One that can be rested/relied upon
Ọ̀kan
One
Meji
Two
Mẹ́ta
Three
Mẹ́rin
Four
Márùn
Five
Mẹ́fà
Six
Méje
Seven
Mẹ́jọ
Eight
Mẹ́sàn
Nine
Mẹ́wà
Ten
Mọ́kànlá
Eleven
Méjìlá
Twelve
Deities
The Òrìṣà — the old gods.
Erinlẹ̀(A)pe-(Rin)se-(La)tent
old god of the earthThe Earth Elephant
Obàtálá(O)ther-(Ba)lloon-(Ta)ngle-(La)titude
the old god of ressurrectionsent by Olódùmarè to participate in creation
Ògúnr(O)w-(Goon)
god of iron/metal
Ọya(Au)dacious-(Ya)hoo
god of the air
Ṣàngo(Shun)-(Go)liath
god of fire
Odùduwà(Oa)t-(Du)de-(Du)rable-(Wha)ck
god of existence
Aganjù(A)pple-(Gun)-Jukebox
god of the wilderness, desert and volcanoes
Irúnmọlẹ̀(I)nspire-(Rune)-(Mo)ther-(Le)ngth
Divine promordial beings
OlódùmarèO-lo-du-ma-re
Supreme Being
Ọlọ́runO-lo-roon
Owner of the Heavens
OlófìO-lo-fi
Variant of Olódùmarè
Ọ̀ṣunO-sun
god of fresh water, fertility, and prosperity
Ọ̀rúnmìlàO-roon-mi-la
god - witness to destinysent by Olódùmarè to participate in creation
Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀ṣìO-sho-shi
god of the forest, hunting, precision
YemọjaYe-moh-jah
Mermaid
ỌbalúfọnO-ba-loo-fun
Legendary king and ancestor
Ọ̀ranyànO-run-yawn
Legendary king and ancestor
ÒrìṣàO-ri-sha
gods associated with particular aspects of creation, nature
ElédùmarèE-le-du-ma-re
Variant of Olódùmarè
Ẹ̀ṣùE-shoe
god of authority, decision, enforcement of divine powersent by Olódùmarè to participate in creation
ÀjàkáA-ja-ka
Legendary king and ancestor
Proverbs
Wisdom, passed down.
Kí a tó dé ibi tí à ń lọ, a máa ń kọ́kọ́ dé ibi tí a kò fẹ́.
Before getting to our destination, we may have to get to where we’d rather not be.
Ọgbọ́n díẹ̀ agọ̀ díẹ̀, l’ẹ̀dá fi ńrí ilé ayé gbé; ọgbọ́n àgbọ́njù a máa pa ọlọ́gbọ́n lára.
A little wisdom combined with a little stupidity is how anyone gets to live in the world; excessive wisdom often proves harmful to the carrier, at the end.
Bí a bá dé ìlú táà léèyàn, ìwà rere làá ní
If one is a complete stranger in a town, one ought to simply be of good character.
Bí ọmọdé bá l'áṣọ bí àgbà, Kò lè lákìísà bí àgbà
Even though a lad has the same number of “clothes” as an elderly person, The number of his “rags” will not be the same as that hich pertains to the elderly man.
Ibi tí à ń lọ là ń wò, a kì í wo ibi táa ti ṣubú
Focus on where you are going, not where you had fallen.
Àgbà t'ó b'ọ́mọ rẹ̀ sọ òtítọ́, ni kì í fi ojú rere wò
An elder who tells the truth to his child often gets frowned upon.
Ọ̀nà àjò kì í hàn gbangba fún arìnrìn-àjò
The path of a traveler is never clear.
Bó ti wù kí ojú kan tóbi tó, ojú méjì sàn ju ojú kan lọ
No matter how big an eye is, two eyes are better than one.
Wúrà tó máa dán, á la iná kọjá
A piece of gold that wants to shine must pass through fire first.
Ajá tí yóó sonù, kì í gbọ́ fèrè ode
A dog that is bound to get lost will not hearken to the hunter’s whistle.
Àgùtàn ò ní sùn láàárín ajá, kó má fi ara kó eégbọn.
A sheep won't lie in the midst of dogs and not get dog ticks on itself.
Tí ẹṣin bá dá’ni, a máa ń tun ùn gùn ni
If one is thrown by a horse, one ought to remount it again.
A kò gbọdọ̀ torí kòkòrò kó sí’ni lójú, ká wá ki igi bọ ojú ọ̀hún.
One shouldn’t poke a stick into one’s eye simply because an insect entered the eye.
A kì í dàgbà jù fún ohun tí a kò bá mò.
One is never too old to learn what one does not know
Gbólóhùn kan lè ba ọ̀rọ̀ je; Gbólóhùn kan náà lè tún ọ̀rọ̀ ṣe
Words are powerful; they can build up and pull down, use them wisely
Odò tí ó gbàgbé orísun rẹ̀ yóò gbẹ
The river that forgets its source will dry up
Àáké gbàgbé, ṣùgbọ́n igi kò gbàgbé
The axe forgets, but the tree remembers
A kìí ní k’ọ́mọ ma d’ẹ́tẹ̀, t’ó bá ti le dá’lé gbé.
We don't restrain a kid from bringing shame/reproach/disgrace upon himself, as long as he is able to live alone in (the bush) isolation
Òròmọadìyẹ ń bá àṣá ṣeré, ó rò pé ẹyẹ oko lásán ni
The chick gullibly plays with the hawk believing it to be an ordinary bird.
Ẹni tó ń lé nkan níwájú, ń fi àwọn ǹkan míràn sẹ́hìn.
Whoever is pursuing something ahead is actually leaving some other things behind.
Nígbà tí ènìyàn bá yó fún ìfé, gẹ̀rẹ́gẹ̀rẹ́ òkè máa n dàbí ẹ̀bá Ọ̀dàn
When a person is in love, a cliff becomes a meadow
Ojú ló ń kán àrẹ̀mọ tó ń dé fìlà, tó bá gorí ìtẹ́ bàbá a rẹ̀, yóò dé ohun tó ju àrán lọ.
A royal heir who’s wearing a cap is simply in haste; he’ll get to don far more than velvet caps upon ascending his father’s throne.
Olè tó gbé kàkàkí oba, níbo ni yóó gbé fon ón?
The thief that steals the king’s bugle/trumpet, where is he going to blow it?
Ọkàn kì í pa'rọ́
The heart does not lie.
Kò sí ohun t'ó ní ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ tí kò ní l'ópin
There is nothing that has a beginning that won’t have an ending.
Ìjì layé; t'ó bá fì sí'wájú, á tún fì s'ẹ́yìn ni
Life is a storm; if it blows forward, it will often blow backward, as well.
Mọ̀jà mọ̀sá ni ti akínkanjú; akínkanjú tó bá mọ̀ọ́ jà tí kò mọ̀ọ́ sá á bá Ògún lọ.
Warriors must know when to fight and when to retreat, a warrior who knows when to fight but not when to retreat will perish in battle.
Ojú tí yóò ròyìn ogun ò ní kú s’ógun
A warrior destined to recount war stories won’t perish in battle.
Bí inú bá bí baba tó bá gbé ọmọ rẹ̀ jù sí inú èèrùn, bí inú rẹ̀ bá rọ̀, inú ẹ̀èrùn lè má rọ̀
If a father in anger throws his child into a raid of army ants, by the time he calms down, the ants may still be raging
Ọjọ́ tí orí bá ti kúrò lára ejò ló di okùn lásán.
The day a snake loses it's head, is the day it becomes nothing but a mere rope
Ohun tí ó jẹ́ tìrẹ kò ní kọjá à rẹ
What is yours wouldn't pass you by
Ilé Ọba t'ójó, ẹwà l'ó bù sí i
When a king’s palace burns down, the rebuilt palace turns out even more beautiful.
Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ogun là ń mọ̀; Ẹnì kan kì í mọ ìparí i rẹ̀
We typically know how a war begins; no one can tell how it will end
Ẹni bá ṣetán à ti ta iyì àti ẹ̀yẹ t’ó ní, á rí ẹni ràá láì san'wó
Whoever is willing to sell their honour and prestige, will find someone who is ready to buy it without paying
Bí a bá sọ òkò s’ọ́jà, ará-ilé eni ní n bá
He who throws a stone in the market will hit his relative
Ohun tí Àgbàlagbà rí ní’jókò, Ọmọdé ò lè ríi ní’dúró
What an Elder sees while sitting down, a child can never see it while standing up
Ẹní bá ṣe ǹkan t'ẹ́nìkan ò ṣe rí, yóó rìí ǹkan t'ẹ́nìkan ò rí rí
He who does what no one has done before will see what no one has seen before
A fi Ọ́ j'ọba, ò ń ṣe àwúre; dákun, ṣé o fẹ́ jẹ oyè Ọlọ́run ni?
You have been crowned as a king, and yet you're making spells and charms; do you also want to be crowned God?
À á n pe ẹran t'ó ni'wo, ìgbín náà n yọ'jú
When animals with horns were called, the snail also showed up thinking it was worthy
Èèyàn boni lára j’aṣọ lọ; Ẹni tó l’áṣọ tí ò l’éèyàn, ìhòhò ló wà
People provide better cover than clothes; whoever has clothes but has no one, is naked
Àwòdì n fò fẹrẹrẹ, ó l'óun fẹ́ m'Olúwa. Ibi tí yóó fò dé, kò yé mi.
Àwòdì (a specie of Eagle that flies really high), says it wants to meet the Most High. Ridiculous! It has no idea the height it will have to fly to
Bí ó ti lè wù kí oòrùn mú gangan tó, bó pẹ́ bó yá, ó n bọ̀ wá fi àyè sílẹ̀ fún òṣùpá
No matter how hot the sun is up above, eventually it will leave room for the moon
Tó bá kù díẹ̀ kí ọmọ olóore jìn sí kòtò, mànàmáná á ṣiṣẹ́ imole fún un
Just before a good person trips and ends up in a ditch in the dark, lightning would light up their path
Ọgbọ́n ọdún yìí, wèrè èmíì
Today's wisdom, may be tomorrow’s madness
Dúrógbadé tó ń dẹ isà ejò, bí kò bá dúró gba adé, ọmọ míì yóò gbàá
A royal heir who unconscionably exposes himself to risk, hunting snakes, may find that someone else has been crowned king in his stead
Àjùmọ̀bí ò kan t'àánú; Ẹni orí rán sí'ni ló ń ṣe'ni lóore
To be related to someone by blood does not guarantee receiving favour from them; help comes only from those divinely sent to one
À ń sọ̀rọ̀ olè jíjà, aboyún náà ń dá sí i; Ṣíọ̀! odidi èèyàn ló gbé pamọ́ o.
We were condemning theft and the pregnant woman had the effrontry to join in; Isn’t she herself concealing a whole human?
Places
The lands of the continent.
Oru
Heat
Òtútù
Cold
Ìlú-Ọba
Land of the King
Gbàgede
Town square
Ìlú-Ìmọ̀
Land of Knowledge
Ìlú-Ọ̀pọ
Land of Plenty
Ìlú-Idán
Land of Magic
Ìlú-Òdì
Land of Stronghold
Ìlú-Oníṣọ̀nà
Land of Artisans
Ọ̀run
Heaven/Firmament
Ayé
World/
Ìlú Iná Àti Àpáta
Land of Fire and Rocks/Stones
Ìlú-Aláṣẹ
Land of Authority
Gbàgede
Arena
Ọjà-Ọba
TheKing's Market
Titles
Rank, rule, and reverence.
AláàfinA-La-A-Fin
Custodian/Owner of the Palace
Aya ỌbaA-Ya-Ọba
Wife of the King
Àlùfáà-ÀgbàA-Lu-Fa-A-A-Gba
Senior Priest
Baálẹ̀-IkúBa-A-Le-I-Ku
Chief of Death
Baba-ÌtànBa-Ba-I-Tan
Man of Stories
Ìyá-AyéI-Ya-A-Ye
Mother of the World
Ìyá-IdánI-Ya-I-Dan
Mother of Magic
Ọmọ-ỌbaỌ-Mọ-Ọba
Son of the King
Ọmọ Ìlú miO-Mo-I-Lu-Mi
Indigene of my town
Ọmọ ìyá míO-Mo-I-Ya-Mi
Child of my mother
Ab’Ọ́bakúA-Bo-Ba-Ku
One who dies with the King
Olúwo
The prime/chief of the order
Ìyá-Nlá
Great Mother
Yèyé-ìwẹ̀ (x2)
Mother of Baths
Oníṣègùn
Herbalist/Pharmacist/Doctor
Alága
Chairperson
Aya'ba (Aya Ọba)
Wife of the King
Ọmọ-Ọba (Ọmọ'ba)
Son of the King
Numbers
Counting in Yorùbá.
Ọ̀kanỌ-Kan
One
MejiMẹ-Ji
Two
Mẹ́taMẹ-Ta
Three
Mẹ́rinMẹ-Rin
Four
MárùnMa-Run
Five
Mẹ́fàMe-Fa
Six
MéjeMe-Je
Seven
Mẹ́jọMe-Jọ
Eight
Mẹ́sànMẹ-San
Nine
Mẹ́wàMe-Wa
Ten
Mọ́kànláMọ-Kan-La
Eleven
MéjìláMe-Ji-La
Twelve