Skip to main content
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.
In the KiSwahili language of East Africa and Central Africa "umgawa" means "entangled". But in 1932 MGM screenwriter Cyril Hume lifted the word "umgawa" from the Swahili language for the Tarzan movies. Those movies were being adapted from books written by Edgar Rice Burrough books.

In the Tarzan movies "ungawa" was the way that Tarzan communicated with animals and with Black people who lived in the near where Tarzan found himself. That word could mean whatever the screenwriters wanted it to mean.

Here's a video clip that provides information about the Hollywood origin of the Swahili word "umgawa":
Ungowa black power !!!!
Ungowa by Cj from S.A. July 4, 2019
Related Words

Untoward 

Untoward has a number of different meanings, three of the commonest uses are as follows:-

1 Unexpected and inconvenient;
2 Inappropriate, improper or unseemly;
3 Unfavourable or adverse;
1 The picnic was interrupted by an untoward shower of rain;
2 Malcolm’s untoward advances were rewarded with a kick in the nuts;
3 Some prescription drugs have untoward side effects;
Untoward by AKACroatalin October 24, 2016
Contrary to every other definition on urban dictionary, Ungawa is a bastardization of a Swahili word meaning, "Be quiet and listen to me!"
"Ungawa!" is often used alone, basically meaning, quiet down and listen to me!
Ungawa by Samuel Zane August 25, 2021
The word Tarzan used to communicate to the animals; Also used by Dave Chappelle in the racial draft episode as a parody for how white people address other races.
"Ungawa! There's a white man talking here! "
ungawa by hellyea September 20, 2005
'Ungoatly' clearly means un-sober, un-virginal and un-holy combined....It is the word that out drinks Drunk, out regrets regret and out lives the awkward Turtle.
I was so ungoatly last night
Ungoatly by rachizzle199 November 19, 2009

ungwalup 

Shut up before I ungwalup yo ass.
More from Urban Dictionary

Throat Sweats 

The feeling and build up in your mouth/throat of saliva that sometimes accompanies nausea.
Oh man those burritos gave me the throat sweats, I hope I don’t have food poisoning.
Throat Sweats by TacoFings420 April 23, 2024
Word of the Day on October 11, 2026
Being ignored by someone when making a statement or asking a question. Also known as blanked and turfed.
Person 1: Did u watch ** last nite?
Person 2:......
Person 3: O no u got aired!
aired by Pietro February 9, 2005
Word of the Day on October 10, 2026

piddlefart

Instead of doing my homework, I decided to piddlefart around for two hours.
piddlefart by Rene April 25, 2005
Word of the Day on October 9, 2026
anyone who succeeds in disgracing/over indulging themselves in the throws of clubland
28 hours and 4 clubs later, gurning for england but still refusing to go home - a total wrongun!!
wrongun by bevvers March 21, 2007
Word of the Day on October 8, 2026

square grouper

Nickname given to bales of marijuana thrown overboard or out of airplanes. Origin is reportedly from members of the US Coast Guard in the area of Southern Florida.
"Base we've got some square groupers floating outside of Miami harbor."
square grouper by slipsheet November 6, 2004
Word of the Day on October 7, 2026
Load more