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negus1

[nee-guh s]
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noun, plural ne·gus·es.
  1. a title of Ethiopian royalty.
  2. (initial capital letter) the Emperor of Ethiopia.
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Origin of negus1

1585–95; < Amharic nəgus king < Geez, participle of nägŝä to reign

negus2

[nee-guh s]
noun
  1. a beverage made of wine and hot water, with sugar, nutmeg, and lemon.
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Origin of negus2

1735–45; after Colonel Francis Negus (died 1732), Englishman who invented it
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for negus

Historical Examples

  • Tom has eaten twelve, but he has had four more glasses of negus than Giles.

    The Christmas Books

    William Makepeace Thackeray

  • Herberts and Wortleys came home with us and had soup and negus.'

  • "Do take a glass of negus," said another, as her friend gave way to her.

    The Caxtons, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

  • What a horror he seems to have of wine and negus and suchlike things, mamma.

    Nearly Lost but Dearly Won

    Theodore P. Wilson

  • So much for the delights of “lots of negus, wine, and punch!”

    Nearly Lost but Dearly Won

    Theodore P. Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for negus

negus

noun plural -guses
  1. a hot drink of port and lemon juice, usually spiced and sweetened
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Word Origin

C18: named after Col. Francis Negus (died 1732), its English inventor

Negus

noun plural -guses
  1. a title of the emperor of Ethiopia
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Word Origin

from Amharic: king
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

Word Origin and History for negus

Negus

title of the ruler of Abyssinia, 1590s, from Amharic negush "king," from stem of nagasha "he forced, ruled."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper