Ethiopian

1 of 2

noun

Ethi·​o·​pi·​an ˌē-thē-ˈō-pē-ən 

1

: a native or inhabitant of Ethiopia

2

: a member of any of the mythical or actual peoples usually described by the ancient Greeks as dark-skinned and living far to the south

3

archaic : a Black person

Ethiopian

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the inhabitants or the country of Ethiopia

2

: of, relating to, or being the biogeographic region that includes Africa south of the Sahara, southern Arabia, and sometimes Madagascar and the adjacent islands

Examples of Ethiopian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

When ground into flour, teff can be used in breads, muffins, and injera, an Ethiopian flatbread, according to Zinn. — Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 22 July 2026

That’s just one stall — others specialize in deli sandwiches, pizza, chicken sandwiches and Ethiopian food. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 21 July 2026

Ethiopian content creator Kalu Putik has grabbed the attention of the fashion world with his outfits made from old clothes, shoes, and garbage scraps. — Jenny Vaughan, semafor.com, 13 July 2026

The Ethiopian novelist Dinaw Mengestu had held the organization’s leadership position since December 2025. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Ethiopian

• bupropion
• dystopian
• ectropion
• fallopian
• utopian