Ethiopian

American  

[ee-thee-oh-pee-uhn] / ˌi θiˈoʊ pi ən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Ethiopia or to its inhabitants.

2. belonging to the part of Africa south of the equator.

3. Zoogeography. belonging to a geographical division comprising Africa south of the tropic of Cancer, the southern part of Arabia, and Madagascar.

4. Archaic. Black African.

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noun

1. a native of Ethiopia.

2. a member of any of various supposedly dark-skinned peoples regarded by the ancients as coming from a country lying south of Egypt.

3. Archaic. a Black African.

Ethiopian British  

/ ˌiːθɪˈəʊpɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Ethiopia, its people, or any of their languages

2. of or denoting a zoogeographical region consisting of Africa south of the Sahara

3. obsolete anthropol of or belonging to a postulated racial group characterized by dark skin, an oval elongated face, and thin lips, living chiefly in Africa south of the Sahara

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Ethiopia

2. any of the languages of Ethiopia, esp Amharic

noun

1. an archaic word for Black

Other Word Forms

• anti-Ethiopian adjective
• pro-Ethiopian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Ethiopian

First recorded in 1545–55; Ethiopi(a) + -an

Example Sentences

Jet fuel for air forces, too, has become a scarce resource, with the government under pressure to keep stocks for the national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, an engine of the economy and Africa’s largest airline.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Kenya is establishing itself as a logistics hub in East Africa, while Ethiopian Airlines, the leading carrier in Africa, is serving as an "emergency air bridge" between the continent, Asia, and Europe, the report noted.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

Smoke’N Ash blends Texas barbecue with Ethiopian flavors, and the result is something special.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

The Ethiopian Oil and Energy Authority's measures saw petrol stations prioritising public transport, as well as restrictions to conserve fuel.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

He read from his Bible and the Ethiopian one as well.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley