mali

IPA/ˈmɑːli/
KK[mˈɑli]IPA/ˈmɑːli/

mali — noun

1. Mali is a West African country, south of Algeria and north of Senegal. The Niger

1.nounA2
Definition

Mali is a West African country, south of Algeria and north of Senegal. The Niger River runs through it, and its people are famous for their music and art.

Example

Manuela learned about the ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu in Mali during her history class.

proper noun + preposition: in Mali

A musician from Mali played traditional kora, a stringed instrument, at the festival last night.

Common collocations
  • in Mali
  • from Mali
  • to Mali
  • Mali's [noun]
  • the people of Mali
  • northern Mali
  • southern Mali
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

Mali is…

in Mali

from Mali

Common Mistakes

Mali is located in East Africa.
Mali is located in West Africa.
Mali is in the western part of the continent, near Senegal and Niger.
I visited Malta last summer' (when meaning the African country).
I visited Mali last summer.
Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean, not the same as Mali.

2. a short-lived union between Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (now the modern co

2.nounC1
Definition

a short-lived union between Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (now the modern country of Mali) that existed from April 1959 until it split up in August 1960

Example

President Modibo Keïta signed the agreement that created the Mali Federation in April 1959.

Professor Eitan discovered a faded letter from 1960 that described the day the Mali Federation dissolved.

Common collocations
  • the Mali Federation
  • the breakup of the Mali Federation
  • the formation of the Mali Federation
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

the Mali Federation + verb

Usage Note

This sense refers only to the political union of 1959–1960, not to the ancient Mali Empire (c. 1235–1600) or to the modern Republic of Mali.

Common Mistakes

The Mali Federation was a powerful empire that lasted centuries.
The Mali Federation was a short-lived union from 1959 to 1960.
The federation is a modern political entity, not the same as the ancient Mali Empire of the 13th–16th centuries.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Mali is the common short name for the modern West African country. The Republic of Mali is its official diplomatic name, used in treaties and formal contexts. Do not confuse the country with the Mali Empire (a powerful medieval kingdom that existed from around 1235 to 1600 in roughly the same region but covered a much larger area), nor with the Mali Federation (the short-lived 1959–1960 political union between Senegal and the Sudanese Republic). In everyday conversation and most writing, simply saying 'Mali' is correct and natural.

Mali ↗the Republic of Malithe Mali Empirethe Mali Federation

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the country of Mali
  • the nation of Mali
  • the Republic of Mali
  • the government of Mali
  • the people of Mali

Phrases

  • the history of Mali
  • the culture of Mali
  • the capital of Mali (Bamako)
  • the economy of Mali
  • northern Mali
  • southern Mali

Prepositions

  • in Mali
  • from Mali
  • to Mali
  • of Mali
  • throughout Mali
  • across Mali

Etymology

BambaraFrenchEnglish

The name 'Mali' comes from the Bambara word for 'hippopotamus', an animal that was a symbol of power and strength in the region. The name was first associated with the ancient Mali Empire (c. 1235–1600), one of the largest and wealthiest empires in West African history. The modern Republic of Mali, which became independent from France in 1960, took its name from this empire.