English

Noun

zanja ‎(plural zanjas)

1. An irrigation canal in Latin America.

Related terms

• zanjero

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowing from Basque zanga, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sengh- (possibly borrowed via Proto-Celtic [Term?]).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aŋxa

Noun

zanja f ‎(plural zanjas)

1. ditch; trench

Synonyms

• trinchera
• cuneta

Verb

zanja

1. Informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of zanjar.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present indicative form of zanjar.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present indicative form of zanjar.

References

• Sobre la etimología del vasco zanga y del español zanja, Fernando Fernández Palacios, in Fontes linguae vasconum: Studia et documenta, Navarra:Institución Príncipe de Viana, 1969. Accessible at Fundación Dialnet