Abyssinian

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Abyssinia + -n

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌæb.ɪˈsɪn.ɪ.ən/
  • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌæb.ɪˈsɪn.i.ən/, /ˌæb.əˈsɪn.i.ən/, /ˌæb.əˈsɪn.jən/
  • Rhymes: -ɪnjən, -ɪniən

Adjective

Abyssinian (not comparable)

  1. (dated, usually capitalized) Of or pertaining to Ethiopia or its inhabitants; Ethiopian. [First attested in the late 18th century.][1]

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

Abyssinian (plural Abyssinians)

  1. A short-haired domestic cat descended from cats of ancient Egypt making it one of the oldest breeds in the world; Abyssinian cat. [First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
    Synonym: Aby
  2. A member of the Abyssinian Church.
  3. (dated) A native of Ethiopia. [First attested in the mid 18th century.][1]
    • 2019, Maaza Mengiste, The Shadow King, Canongate Books (2020), page 308:
      A group of Abyssinians are astride horses in brightly colored saddles at the top of the hill across the valley.

Translations

Proper noun

Abyssinian

  1. The Amharic language.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “Abyssinian”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 11.
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