Ìsodorúko èlò ni

“Ipara” comes from describing what the item does. The word means “to rub on the body.” Body cream is something you rub on your skin, so it is called “ipara.”

This is a functional name. The word describes the purpose or use of the object. Instead of borrowing the English word completely, Yoruba created a descriptive term.

Functional naming is common in Yoruba. Many modern items get names based on what they do or how they are used.