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 original Live Aid shows were seen by nearly two billion people around the world and raised more than $125 million for Ethiopian famine relief. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 2 May 2025

The metropolitan region is one of the most diverse in the nation, including large Salvadoran, Ethiopian, and Vietnamese communities. —Amy Alipio, AFAR Media, 29 Apr. 2025

The asteroid shares its name with the name borrowed from an Ethiopian word for the Lucy fossil. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025

Hav & Mar, which opened in 2022, is a marrying of Swedish and Ethiopian flavors with dishes like a pan-seared hake served with shiro and gomen, Ethiopian greens similar to collards. —Pervaiz Shallwani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025

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
• fallopian
• utopian