ọkunrin

Yoruba

Etymology

It is proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *ɔ́-kʊ̃rɪ̃, this form remains the same in Central Yoruba dialects. Cognate with Arigidi ọkọ́ọrẹ. Akinkugbe suggests it may be equivalent to ọkọ (“man”) +‎ ẹni (“person”), compare with obìnrin. The /k/ consonant exists in the roots of many basic male terms, okó (“penis”), akọ (“male”), ọkọ (“husband”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ̄.kũ̀.ɾĩ̄/

Noun

ọkùnrin

1. man, male

   Synonym: akọ

   Iná niyì ọdẹ, ẹ̀jẹ̀ niyì oògùn; ká rógun má mà sa, òun niyì ọkùnrin ― Just as fire power is the mark of a hunter, so, blood is the mark of a true medicine; and to see a war, and not run away, is the mark of a man (an incantation to invoke bravery)

   'Mo mọ̀ ọ́ tán', ni Orò ó fi ń gbé ọkùnrin ― The conviction that one knows everything is what causes Òrìṣà Orò to carry away a man (proverb against taking danger for granted)

2. manliness, bravery

   Synonym: ọkàn ọkùnrin

   a gbọ́dọ̀ ṣe bí ọkùnrin lójú ogun ― We must be brave in the battlefield

Synonyms

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - ọkùnrin (“man”)
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Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	ọkùnrẹn
			Ìkòròdú	ọkùnrẹn
			Ṣágámù	ọkùnrẹn
			Ẹ̀pẹ́	ọkùnrẹn
		Ìkálẹ̀	Òkìtìpupa	ọkùnrẹn
		Ìlàjẹ	Mahin	ọkọ̀nrẹn
		Oǹdó	Oǹdó	ọkùnẹn
		Ọ̀wọ̀	Ọ̀wọ̀	ọkọ̀nrẹn
		Usẹn	Usẹn	ọkànrẹn
	Ìtsẹkírì		Ìwẹrẹ	ọnọkẹ̀rẹn
	Olùkùmi		Ugbódù	ọkùnrẹn
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	okùnrin
			Àkúrẹ́	okùnrin
			Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì	okùnrin
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì	Èbúté Mẹ́tà	ọkùnrin
		Ẹ̀gbá	Abẹ́òkúta	ọkùnrin
		Èkó	Èkó	ọkùnrin
		Ìbàdàn	Ìbàdàn	ọkùnrin
		Ìbàràpá	Igbó Òrà	ọkùnrin
		Ìbọ̀lọ́	Òṣogbo	ọkùnrin
		Ìlọrin	Ìlọrin	ọkùnrin
		Oǹkó	Ìtẹ̀síwájú LGA	ọkọ̀nrin
			Ìwàjówà LGA	ọkọ̀nrin
			Kájọlà LGA	ọkọ̀nrin
			Ìsẹ́yìn LGA	ọkọ̀nrin
			Ṣakí West LGA	ọkọ̀nrin
			Atisbo LGA	ọkùnrin
			Ọlọ́runṣògo LGA	ọkùnrin
		Ọ̀yọ́	Ọ̀yọ́	ọkùnrin
		Standard Yorùbá	Nàìjíríà	ọkùnrin
			Bɛ̀nɛ̀	ɔkùnrin
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Ìyàgbà	Yàgbà East LGA	ọkùnrin
		Owé	Kabba	ọkùnrin
	Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Cábɛ̀ɛ́	Cábɛ̀ɛ́	ɔkɔ̀in
			Tchaourou	okɔ̀ín
		Ìcà	Agoua	okìĩ
		Ìdàácà	Igbó Ìdàácà	olokìnrin, olokìrin
		Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-Ìjè	Kétu	ɔkùnrin
			Onigbolo	okìin
		Ifɛ̀	Akpáré	ɔnɛkĩ̀rĩ, ɔnɔkɛ̃̀ɛ̃
			Atakpamé	onɛkũ̀rɛ̃, ɔlokùrĩ
			Boko	onɛkìrɛ
			Moretan	onokɛ̃̀rẽ
			Tchetti	ɔnɔkɛ̃̀ɛ̃
		Kura	Awotébi	ɔkɛ́rɛ́
			Partago	ɔnɔkrɛ̃
		Mɔ̄kɔ́lé	Kandi	inɛ̃mɔkɔ
		Northern Nago	Kambole	okuɛ̃
			Manigri	okùɛ̃
	Overseas Yoruba	Lucumí	Havana	ocuni

Coordinate terms

• obìnrin

Derived terms

• ọkàn ọkùnrin (“bravery”)
• ọmọkùnrin (“boy”)
• ọ̀dọ́mọkùnrin (“young man, adolescent boy”)
• ọ̀gá-ilé-ìwé lọ́kùnrin (“headmaster”)
• ìfẹ́-ọkùnrin-sọ́kùnrin (“homosexuality”)

 

References

• Adebayo, Taofeeq SOME DIACHRONIC CHANGES IN YORUBA GRAMMAR , 2020