[gree-oh, gree-oh, gree-ot] 
| a member of a hereditary caste among the peoples of western Africa whose function is to keep an oral history of the tribe or village and to entertain with stories, poems, songs, dances, etc. |
| gri·ot (grē-ō', grē'ō, grē'ŏt) n. A storyteller in western Africa who perpetuates the oral tradition and history of a village or family. [French, alteration of guiriot, perhaps ultimately from Portuguese criado, domestic servant, from Latin creātus, one brought up or trained, from past participle of creāre, to produce, bring up; see create.] |