Vai

Part of speech: verb, noun, interjection

Definitions

1. A member of a West African ethnic group primarily residing in Liberia and Sierra Leone ; an indigenous language spoken by this group ; a syllabic script invented and used for writing this language
2. A person belonging to a particular community found mainly in parts of Liberia and Sierra Leone ; the native tongue spoken by this people ; the unique writing system developed for their speech
3. An individual from an ethnic group centered in West Africa ; the mother language of that group ; a distinctive alphabet created especially for written communication in their vernacular

Etymology: The name belongs to the Vai, a people of Liberia and neighboring Sierra Leone, and to their language, which is part of the Mande family. Because the people and their language share one name, "Vai" can refer to either, depending on context. The Vai are also known for a syllabic writing system developed within their own community, which is one of the more distinctive features associated with the name.

Synonyms: let, allow

Antonyms: prevent, stop, forbid