# Obama

/ˌoʊˈbɑmə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/obama
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the U.S. President

noun · CEFR A1

Barack Obama, who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017.

For teachers: Barack Hussein Obama II, the 44th President of the United States. Often used metonymically to refer to his administration or policies.

- Obama was the first African American to become president of the United States.
- The Obama administration's signature legislative achievement was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010.

### 2. African surname

noun · CEFR B2

A family name from the Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania.

For teachers: A surname of Luo origin, common in East Africa, particularly in Kenya.

- The name Obama is quite common among the Luo people in Kenya.
- Linguists trace the etymology of the surname Obama to the Luo word for 'crooked' or 'bent', originally referring to a physical trait.

## Examples

- Obama gave a famous speech in Chicago.
- Many historians study the Obama administration to understand the changes in American healthcare policy during the early 21st century.
- The political legacy of the Obama era is often defined by the passage of the Affordable Care Act and a shift toward multilateralism in foreign diplomacy.

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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.