The Oxford English Dictionary has added a range of words from East African English to its latest update, including the Ethiopian terms azmari and berbere and Ugandan expressions such as campuser, detoother and muchomo.
Oxford Languages announced the additions on September 23 as part of the Oxford English Dictionary’s September 2026 update. The entries recognise words shaped by the languages, food, music and everyday speech of Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The update is part of the OED’s continuing effort to document World Englishes—the diverse forms of English spoken and developed in different countries and communities. The dictionary’s latest release also includes new or revised entries from Bermuda, the Caribbean, New Zealand and Wales.
Among the Ethiopian additions is azmari, a term used for a traditional poet and musician who composes and sings verses spontaneously, generally while playing a local stringed instrument.
The word is derived from the Amharic noun azmari, meaning minstrel or singer, and is linked to the verb zämmärä, meaning to sing, chant or intone a hymn. The OED traces the term’s use in English to 1865.
Another Ethiopian addition, berbere, refers to the powdered spice blend widely used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. The mixture typically includes chilli, coriander, fenugreek, garlic and ginger, although recipes vary between households and regions.
The word entered English in 1970, according to the OED. It comes from the Amharic word bärbärre and its Tigrinya cognate bärbärä. The dictionary notes that the words may ultimately be connected to an ancient Greek term for pepper.
The inclusion of the two terms reflects the growing international visibility of Ethiopian culture, particularly its culinary and musical traditions. Ethiopian restaurants across Africa, Europe and North America have helped introduce berbere to international audiences, while the azmari tradition remains a distinctive form of musical storytelling and social commentary.
Ugandan English also features prominently in the update. The OED added campuser, a word now chiefly used in Uganda to refer to a university student. Although the term was first recorded in the United States during the early 20th century, it has become closely associated with Ugandan usage. The dictionary dates its earliest use to 1934.
The word detoother has also been added. In Ugandan English, it means a person who seeks money or material benefit from a romantic partner, commonly described as a gold-digger.
It is derived from detooth, a verb included in the OED’s previous East African English update. The expression is a loan translation from the Luganda verb (o)kukuula, which literally means “to extract a tooth” and is used figuratively to mean seducing someone in order to obtain money from them.
Another Ugandan term, muchomo, describes marinated meat grilled or roasted on a skewer, often sold as a street-food snack. The word is borrowed from the Ugandan variety of Swahili and was first recorded in English in 1992.
The dictionary also added ablution block, a term used in Uganda and other East African varieties of English for a small building or prefabricated structure containing public toilets and washing facilities. The expression is also used in Kenyan, Tanzanian, South African, Australian and New Zealand English.
Other entries included in the update are East African English, Kenyan English, Tanzanian English and Ugandan English. Their inclusion formally recognises these regional varieties as distinct forms of English shaped by local languages, histories and cultural practices.
The update highlights how English continues to evolve through contact with African languages and through the daily speech of communities across the continent. Rather than existing as a single uniform language, English has developed into multiple regional forms, each with its own vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and cultural references.
