Abyssinian

noun

Ab·​ys·​sin·​i·​an ˌa-bə-ˈsi-nē-ən How to pronounce Abyssinian (audio)
-ˈsi-nyən
plural Abyssinians
1
: any of a breed of medium-sized slender domestic cats of African origin with short usually brownish hair ticked with bands of darker color
2
dated : a native or inhabitant of Abyssinia : ethiopian sense 1
Abyssinian adjective

Illustration of Abyssinian

Illustration of abyssinian
  • Abyssinian 1

Examples of Abyssinian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Someone whispered that the Abyssinian Baptist Church, the influential church in Harlem, was having a community-outreach event at the same time. Jazmine Hughes, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 Prior to leading the Ford Foundation, Walker was vice president at the Rockefeller Foundation and COO of Harlem’s Abyssinian Development Corporation. Francesca Aton For Artnews, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2024 Walker was also previously vice president of global and domestic programs at the Rockefeller Foundation and chief operating officer of the Abyssinian Development Corporation—Harlem’s largest community development organization—in the 1990s. Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2024 Among those backing Porter are members of Abyssinian’s deacon board, who say Yeiser confessed his sins to them during a meeting in 2019 with the church’s esteemed pastor, the Rev. Calvin Butts, who died in 2022. Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2024 Bragg worshiped at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem as a child, and still does now with his wife and children. Walter Ray Watson, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024 After personally inviting Belafonte to hear a sermon of his at Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church in 1956, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. requested private time with him. Reginald Dwayne Betts, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023 Even the Abyssinian Gospel Choir was blown away by her. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2023 The first was held in January, with proceeds given to the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church located in Durham. Justin Ray, Robb Report, 19 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Abyssinia, kingdom in Africa

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of Abyssinian was in 1703

Dictionary Entries Near Abyssinian

Cite this Entry

“Abyssinian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Abyssinian. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Abyssinian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!