# abada

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abada
Updated: 2026-05-01

## Senses

### 1. mythical creature

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a legendary animal from Central African stories that looks like a unicorn but has two curved horns and a tail like a wild pig.

For teachers: 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.

- The old stories describe the abada as a shy creature with magical horns.
- In 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.

Usage: Usually appears in the singular when referring to the species in a mythological context.

Teaching tip: This term is extremely rare and mostly found in older texts or specialized books on mythology; modern speakers would simply use 'mythical beast'.

### 2. rhinoceros

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old word for a rhinoceros.

For teachers: An obsolete term for the rhinoceros, derived from the Portuguese name for the animal.

- The explorer's journal mentioned an abada charging through the tall grass.
- Early Portuguese accounts of the African interior frequently used the term abada to describe the rhinoceroses they encountered during their expeditions.

Teaching tip: This sense is obsolete. It is useful only for reading historical documents or 16th-century travelogues.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.