Rastafarian

American  

[ras-tuh-fair-ee-uhn, -fahr-, rah-stuh-] / ˌræs təˈfɛər i ən, -ˈfɑr-, ˌrɑ stə- /

noun

1. a follower of Rastafarianism.

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Rastafarianism or Rastafarians.

Rastafarian British  

/ ˌræstəˈfɛərɪən /

noun

1. a member of an originally Jamaican religion that regards Ras Tafari (the former emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie) as God

---

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or relating to the Rastafarians

Etymology

Origin of Rastafarian

First recorded in 1935; from Amharic ras täfäri “Prince Tafari,” the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie ( ras “prince,” originally, “head”; täfäri an Amharic personal name, literally, “(one to be) feared, respected,” present participle from passive stem of the verb färra “fear, respect”) + -an

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Rastafarian

Damon Landor is a Louisiana man who follows the Rastafarian faith.

From Slate ● Jun. 23, 2026

The decision came in the case of a devout Rastafarian in Louisiana.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

The decision stemmed from a case where Louisiana prison guards forcibly shaved Rastafarian Damon Landor’s dreadlocks in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

"It was also where I became a Rastafarian, which has given me some measure of peace," he adds.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

Even if Anise doesn’t like Kalinda or any other Rastafarian, it’s clear that everyone in this school will soon want to be Kalinda’s friend, and so Anise must get to her first.

From "Hurricane Child" by Kheryn Callender