An entry for Black Panther's Wakanda, which has become a symbol in recent years following the release of the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, has been added to a dictionary.
Dictionary.com added the entry and offers a pronunciation of Wakanda [ wuh-kahn-duh ], defining the word as the fictional African home country of the Marvel superhero, Black Panther. Also provided is a short piece on Wakanda's history with the country first appearing in Fantastic Four #52 in 1966. Dictionary.com confirms that neither Stan Lee nor Jack Kirby have offered a definitive origin for the country's name. However, a 2018 theory suggested that it came from "Wah'Kon'Tah," "a mythical source of all goodness in the folklore of several Plains Indian tribes," which has the support of Kirby's granddaughter.
The entry goes on to explain that Wakanda gained worldwide recognition after the release of the 2018 Black Panther film. The film has become a symbol of Black excellence in both production and cultural impact, and has also popularized the "Wakanda Forever" salute. The pose -- which has both arms crossed over the chest -- and the phrase itself have become a symbol "of Black greatness and solidarity." Also included are many examples of how far the Wakanda gesture has spread, many of which are featured on Twitter. Athletes and fans have adopted the "Wakanda Forever" salute, which has also become a way to tribute actor Chadwick Boseman after his sudden death.
The end of the entry comes with a note concerning the term. "This is not meant to be a formal definition of Wakanda like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Wakanda that will help our users expand their word mastery."