Ethiopian

1 of 2

noun

Ethi·​o·​pi·​an ˌē-thē-ˈō-pē-ən How to pronounce Ethiopian (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The Ethiopian wolf is a reddish-brown solitary hunter only found in the highlands of Ethiopia. Ari Daniel, NPR, 7 Dec. 2024 The project will promote Ethiopian historical sites through partnerships between researchers, local authorities and communities, according to the French magazine Entrevue. Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 2 Dec. 2024 Fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves remain in the wild, with agriculture and diseases taking a toll on their population. Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024 Most of those rescued were of Somali and Ethiopian nationalities. Omar Faruk, TIME, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Ethiopian 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ethiopian was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Ethiopian

Cite this Entry

“Ethiopian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ethiopian. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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