abada
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1 mythical creature (n.) C2 Proficiency Literary Religiona legendary animal from Central African stories that looks like a unicorn but has two curved horns and a tail like a wild pig.
A herbivorous mythological creature of the Congo region, described as having two crooked horns and a boar's tail. Its horns are traditionally reputed to serve as an antidote to poisons.
ExampleThe old stories describe the abada as a shy creature with magical horns.
ExampleIn the folklore of the Congo, the abada is often likened to a unicorn, though it is distinguished by its two curved horns and its unique medicinal properties.
UsageUsually appears in the singular when referring to the species in a mythological context.
Teacher's tipThis term is extremely rare and mostly found in older texts or specialized books on mythology; modern speakers would simply use 'mythical beast'.
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2 rhinoceros (n.) C2 Proficiency Archaican old word for a rhinoceros.
An obsolete term for the rhinoceros, derived from the Portuguese name for the animal.
ExampleThe explorer's journal mentioned an abada charging through the tall grass.
ExampleEarly Portuguese accounts of the African interior frequently used the term abada to describe the rhinoceroses they encountered during their expeditions.
Teacher's tipThis sense is obsolete. It is useful only for reading historical documents or 16th-century travelogues.
From Portuguese abada (“female rhinoceros”), from Malay badak (“rhinoceros”).