English Reference

Word

abyssinian

Phoneticsabyssini·an

/æbˈsɪˌniən/

Definition

n. a person from Ethiopia or Eritrea. This word is very old and not used much today.

n. a person originating from Ethiopia or Eritrea. Archaic in modern usage; historically used in European contexts to refer to the inhabitants of the Horn of Africa.

Examples

“The Abyssinian was a skilled warrior in ancient times.”

“Historical accounts often describe the Abyssinian as a proud and resilient people with a rich cultural heritage.”

“The term Abyssinian, while once common in colonial literature, is now largely replaced by the more specific and respectful designations of Ethiopian or Eritrean.”

Examples

simple

“The Abyssinian was a skilled warrior in ancient times.”

contextual

“Historical accounts often describe the Abyssinian as a proud and resilient people with a rich cultural heritage.”

complex

“The term Abyssinian, while once common in colonial literature, is now largely replaced by the more specific and respectful designations of Ethiopian or Eritrean.”

Etymology

From Abyssinia + -n.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Rare
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference