Ras Tafari

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A name of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia that many Rastafarians see as a savior

proper noun
/rɑs tæˈfɑri/

: Ras Tafari

Many Rastafarians believe that Ras Tafari is the messiah foretold in their scriptures.

Examples

During his reign, Ras Tafari worked to modernize Ethiopia and resist foreign invasion.
The influence of Ras Tafari can still be seen in Ethiopian culture today.
Many Rastafarians revere Ras Tafari as a messiah.
The teachings of Ras Tafari emphasize unity and peace.
During his reign, Ras Tafari worked to modernize Ethiopia and resist foreign invasion.
Many Rastafarians believe that Ras Tafari is the messiah foretold in their scriptures.
The influence of Ras Tafari can still be seen in Ethiopian culture today.

Synonyms

Haile Selassie

vsRas Tafari

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Emperor of Ethiopia who made modern reforms and is admired by Rastafarians

is the regnal name used for that emperor and regarded as messianic by followers

Surface Forms

Ras Tafari main

Morphology

ras + Tafari

The element 'ras' is a recognizable title meaning a chief, so a learner who knows that word could infer this is a titled person (title + name). However 'Tafari' is a proper name with no compositional meaning, and the specific senses — a regnal name of Haile Selassie and its messianic/religious significance — require cultural or encyclopedic knowledge and are not predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Ras Tafari comes from two parts: Ras (a word for 'chief') and Tafari (his given name). He later became Emperor Haile Selassie and many people saw Ras Tafari as a 'messiah', so the name now refers to that leader and to the Rastafarian belief.