Standard Lemma guide

bantustan

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌbantuːˈstan/
  • UK: /ˌbantuːˈstɑːn/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˌbæntuˈstæn/
  • US: /ˌbɑntuˈstɑn/
  • US: /ˈbæntuˌstæn/
  • US: /ˈbɑntuˌstɑn/
  • rhymes with -æn
  • rhymes with -ɑːn

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of ten former territories defined as homelands for black South Africans under apartheid policy

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A political entity reminiscent of the old apartheid-era territories of the same name.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From a Bantu language (ultimately from Proto-Bantu *bantʊ̀ (“people”)) + -stan (“home of”, suffix of Persian origin), after place names such as Hindustan.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: bantoestan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Arabic: بَانْتُوسْتَان (bāntūstān) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Chinese Mandarin: 班圖斯坦 /班图斯坦 (bāntúsītǎn) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Finnish: bantustan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • French: bantoustan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • German: Bantustan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Hindi: बांटूस्तान (bāṇṭūstān) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Italian: bantustan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Japanese: バントゥースタン (bantūsutan) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Korean: 반투스탄 (bantuseutan) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Polish: bantustan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Portuguese: bantustão — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Romanian: bantustan — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Russian: бантуста́н (bantustán) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Serbo-Croatian: ба̏нтуста̄н — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Serbo-Croatian: bȁntustān — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Tamil: பந்துஸ்தான் (pantustāṉ) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans
  • Tamil: பந்துசுத்தான் (pantucuttāṉ) — territory defined as a homeland for black South Africans