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🌍 From ancient Ethiopia 📜 A classical language 🔡 A writing system
Ethiopic

Ethiopic

1 9.9
Relating to ancient Ethiopia, its people, languages, or writing
  • adjective
  • /ˌiːθiˈɒpɪk/
translation icon : etíope

Examples

  • The archangel recites the prayer of the Eucharistic sacrifice in the Ethiopic liturgy.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Michael's "spiritual mirror" is a visionary symbol in fifteenth-century Ethiopic literature, a means by which one receives revelations and visions of God.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The written word had long preceded Christianity to the African Horn, and the Ethiopic syllabary still utilized today is based upon forms derived from South Arabian models.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The same holds true for Ge'ez (Ethiopic) literature; authors of religious texts reaped the "fruits of modesty" by remaining anonymous (Getatchew 1994:369).

    Academic text (1998)

  • The ancient manuscripts written in Ethiopic provide valuable insights into the history of the region.

  • Many scholars study Ethiopic texts to understand the early development of Christian literature in Africa.

  • The Ethiopic language has its roots in the rich cultural heritage of ancient Ethiopia.

Synonyms

Ethiopian
vsEthiopic
73 3.7

Relating to Ethiopia, its people, or their languages

refers specifically to ancient Ethiopia, its people, or languages

Surface Forms

Ethiopic positive

Morphology

Ethiopic = Ethiopia (transparent) = Ethiopia + ic

The adjective is a regular formation from the place name Ethiopia plus the adjectival suffix -ic, so the relation is straightforward.

Etymology

Ethiopic comes from the name Ethiopia, which itself comes from an old Greek word made of aitho- 'to burn' and -ops 'face', an old way to describe dark skin. So Ethiopic means 'from Ethiopia' and is used for people, languages, and writing from that country.