Galla

[ gal-uh ]

/ ˈgæl ə /

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noun, plural Gal·las, (especially collectively) Gal·la.

Offensive. Oromo.

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Origin of Galla

First recorded in 1875–80; origin uncertain; perhaps from Amharic or from Arabic ghalīẓ “wild, rough.”

usage note for Galla

The Oromo (a nomadic, pastoral people of Ethiopia and Kenya) were formerly called Galla by other Ethiopians, and this name is common in historical texts through the early 20th century. However, Galla was never used by the Oromo themselves, and it is now considered a derogatory name for the people.

Words nearby Galla

galinsoga, Galion, galiot, galipot, gall, Galla, gallamine triethiodide, gallant, gallantly, gallantry, gallant soldier

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Galla in a sentence

One theory holds that Gedi was deserted to avoid the advancing nomadic Galla tribe coming from Somalia.
Kenya Has Its Own Machu Picchu—the Lost Town of Gedi|Nina Strochlic|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The precise relative elevations of the two mountains are, Pedro-talla-galla 8280 feet, Adam's Peak 7420 feet.
Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume I|Karl Ritter von Scherzer
The ancient church at Ravenna of Galla Placidia contained some mosaics, now vanished, but two bas-reliefs refer to the sandal.
Curiosities of Christian History|Croake James
Only yesterday a caravan of two thousand camels arrived from Harar in the Galla country.
The River of Darkness|William Murray Graydon

The caravan comprised a dozen Arabs and thirty or forty Somalis of the Galla country.
The River of Darkness|William Murray Graydon
The very day fixed for his escape he was sold to a Galla chief who lived twenty miles distant.
The River of Darkness|William Murray Graydon

British Dictionary definitions for Galla

Galla

/ (ˈɡælə) /

noun

plural -las or -la a member of a tall dark-skinned people inhabiting Somalia and SE Ethiopia

the language of this people, belonging to the Cushitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages

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