matatu

From Swahili matatu.

matatu (plural matatus or matatu)

1. (Kenya) A minivan often used as a share taxi.

   Synonym: mathree (slang)

   • 1982, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements Habitat News:

     A matatu is also more profitable when driven by its owner than by an employed driver, or if the employee-driver pays in all the earnings and the owner meets the operating costs, rather than when the owner demands a fixed sum of money daily, with the operator keeping the surplus.

   • 2010, Philo Ikonya, Leading the Night, page 102:

     For now, matatus made lanes along both sides of tarmac main roads and went over, around or through potholes depending on their speed.

   • 2017, Kenda Mutongi, Matatu: A History of Popular Transportation in Nairobi, page 98:

     Memories of their sense of trepidation, or even the anger, aboard a matatu could still be visceral.

• matatu culture

matatu m (plural matatus)

1. matatu

From -tatu (“three”), based on the original price of three shillings.

matatu (ma class, plural matatu)

1. (Kenya) matatu

• daladala (Tanzania)

matatu

1. Ma class inflected form of -tatu.