Beja

American  

[bey-juh] / ˈbeɪ dʒə /

noun

plural

Bejas,

plural

Beja

1. a member of a group of nomadic, predominantly Muslim peoples of Sudan, Egypt, and Eritrea.

2. the Cushitic language of the Beja.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a group of nomadic, predominantly Muslim people of Sudan, Egypt, and Eritrea.

Etymology

Origin of Beja

First recorded in 1810–20; from Arabic Bijā, the name for this people

Example Sentences

Ezana conducted successful military engagements against the Beja and Nubian people, subduing the Kingdom of Kush that had ruled southern Egypt for at least the previous millennium.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

The Beja people come from eastern Sudan, living between the mountains and the Red Sea coast, an area which is rich in gold and other resources but with little to show for it.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2022

Protesters from the Beja tribes in eastern Sudan are shutting ports and blocking roads in protest at what they describe as poor political and economic conditions in the region.

From Reuters • Sep. 25, 2021

This week, members of the Beja tribe blocked Port Sudan, the biggest port, and cut off highways leading to the city.

From New York Times • Sep. 21, 2021

Who," says Isidore of Beja, "can describe such horrors!

From Christianity and Islam in Spain (756-1031) by Haines, Charles Reginald