hatarisha (Swahili)
Where does "hatarisha" come from?
The Swahili verb 'hatarisha' is formed by combining the noun 'hatari' with the causative suffix '-isha' to mean 'to endanger' or 'to put in danger.' The root word 'hatari' itself was borrowed into Swahili from the Arabic word 'ḵaṭar,' meaning danger or risk. By joining this borrowed noun with a widespread Bantu causative suffix, Swahili created a dynamic term that transforms the state of danger into an active, harmful event.
Full etymology tree
- hatarisha (Swahili), 'Causative form of hatari: to endanger, to put in danger'
- compound hatari (Swahili), 'danger (exposure to liable harm), risk'
- borrowed khatar (Arabic)
- suffix -isha (Swahili), 'causative suffix'
- compound hatari (Swahili), 'danger (exposure to liable harm), risk'
Ancestors
- hatari (Swahili)
- -isha (Swahili)
Updated May 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris