# boko

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/boko
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the nose

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Dialect

an old-fashioned slang word for the nose.

For teachers: a dated or dialectal term for the human nose.

- He took a nasty fall and landed right on his boko.
- The old boxer boasted about his many victories, though his flattened boko told a story of many heavy hits taken in the ring.

Usage: Primarily found in older Australian or West Midlands English dialects.

### 2. Hausa script

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the name for the Latin alphabet when it is used to write the Hausa language.

For teachers: the Latin-based orthography used for the Hausa language, as opposed to the Arabic-based Ajami script.

- The student learned to read Hausa using the boko script.
- The transition from Ajami to boko script in the early twentieth century significantly altered the landscape of Hausa literary production.

Usage: Usually written with a lowercase 'b' when referring to the script itself.

### 3. the Boko people or language

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a group of people living in Benin and Nigeria, or the language they speak.

For teachers: an ethnic group residing in Benin and Nigeria, or the Mande language spoken by this population.

- The researcher traveled to West Africa to study the Boko language.
- Linguistic surveys of the region have documented several distinct dialects within the Boko speaking communities along the border.

Usage: Capitalized when referring to the specific ethnic group or their language.

## Examples

- Most modern Hausa books are written in boko.
- The transition from Ajami to boko during the colonial era significantly altered the educational landscape of Northern Nigeria.
- While boko remains the official script for administration and secular schooling, Ajami continues to hold cultural and religious significance within many traditional Hausa-speaking communities.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.