Ethiopian

1 of 2

noun

Ethi·​o·​pi·​an ˌē-thē-ˈō-pē-ən 

1

: a native or inhabitant of Ethiopia

2

: a member of any of the mythical or actual peoples usually described by the ancient Greeks as dark-skinned and living far to the south

3

archaic : a Black person

Ethiopian

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the inhabitants or the country of Ethiopia

2

: of, relating to, or being the biogeographic region that includes Africa south of the Sahara, southern Arabia, and sometimes Madagascar and the adjacent islands

Examples of Ethiopian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The shallow Ethiopian gambella canoe basket makes a particularly good dining or coffee table centerpiece, especially as a counterpoint to glass or glossy surfaces that need grounding. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 11 June 2026

Injera—Ethiopian bread—is made from teff flour. —Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 10 June 2026

At Miami-Dade County’s only Ethiopian brick-and-mortar, every plate is a passport to African flavor. —Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2026

In a single incident in February 2025, more than 20 people were killed when rival groups clashed near the Ethiopian border. —Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Ethiopian

• bupropion
• dystopian
• ectropion
• fallopian
• utopian