Amharic

American

[am-har-ik, ahm-hahr-] / æmˈhær ɪk, ɑmˈhɑr- /

noun

the Semitic language that is the official language of Ethiopia.

adjective

of or relating to this language or its speakers.

Amharic British

/ æmˈhærɪk /

noun

the official language of Ethiopia, belonging to the SE Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

denoting or relating to this language

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Amharic

First recorded in 1590–1600; Amhar(a) + -ic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She told us about this Amharic word tizita, that speaks to nostalgia, memory and longing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Sputnik already broadcasts across parts of Africa in English and French languages, and has expanded to include Amharic, one of the official languages of Ethiopia.

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2025

It was "shaytan," which means the devil in my parent's mother tongue, Amharic.

From Salon • Oct. 14, 2023

Coffee, or buna in Amharic, is typically drunk at the end of each meal.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 30, 2023

Ethiopic scholars speak of a special “historical style” which comes from the mixture of the styles of different periods, and the admixture of Amharic phrases and idioms.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 8 "Ethiopia" to "Evangelical Association" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023