ààfin noun /àà.fĩ̄/
ọfin (alternative), àọ̀fịn (alternative), àghọ̀fẹn (alternative)
Definitions
  1. palace
Etymology
Cognates include Itsekiri àghọ̀fẹn, Ìjẹ̀bú Yoruba àwọ̀fi. Proposed to be derived Proto-Yoruba *à-wɔ̀fɪ̃, from Proto-Edekiri *à-ɣɔ̀fɪ̃. The Proto-Yoruboid term is unclear, see Igala éfọfẹ (“palace”), Igala ọ́fẹ (“chieftaincy title”). Here we see a shifting of /ɣ/ and /w/ to /f/ or vice versa, which, while it is not clear which direction that sound change may have taken, is seen in other Yoruboid or Edekiri cognates, see ehoro vs. afolo and ọ̀fàfà vs. awàwà. See perhaps ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *á-fɔ̀fɪ̃, *ɛ́-fɔ̀fɪ̃ or Proto-Yoruboid *á-ɣɔ̀fɪ̃, *ɛ́-ɣɔ̀fɪ̃. Also see Proto-Yoruboid *-fɪ̃ (“root relating to royalty or nobility”). Likely a Doublet of Ọlọ́fịn, Doublet of ọfịn, Doublet of Ọ̀dọ̀fin
Dialectal synonyms “palace” 14 varieties

Southeast Yoruba

Ìjẹ̀bú Òde
àwọ̀fi
Òkìtìpupa
àghọ̀fẹn
Mahin
àghọ̀fẹn
Oǹdó
àghọ̀fẹn
Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)
àghọ̀fẹn

Ìtsẹkírì

Ìwẹrẹ
àghọ̀fẹn

Central Yoruba

Àdó Èkìtì
àọ̀fịn
Àkúrẹ́
àọ̀fịn

Northwest Yoruba

Èbúté Mẹ́tà
ààfin
Ìbàdàn
ààfin
Ìlọrin
ààfin
Ọ̀yọ́
ààfin
Nàìjíríà
ààfin
Bɛ̀nɛ̀
ààfin
View the dialect map on Wiktionary ↗
Used in
Source: Wiktionary, where this word is spelled “aafin”. Reference: en-aafin-yo-noun-7iqkSAW1