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Definition of ethiopia
ethiopia
/ˌiː.θiˈoʊ.pi.ə/
E · thi · o · pi · a
Adjective:Ethiopian
ethiopia Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Top 5k
• noun
1
A landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, and Sudan and South Sudan to the west.
Example
"Ethiopia is widely recognized as the geographical birthplace of the coffee bean and boasts a rich, millennia-old cultural heritage."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for ethiopiaWord Nuance & Usage
Historically referred to in some Western texts as Abyssinia, Ethiopia is frequently noted for remaining uncolonized during the Scramble for Africa, aside from a brief Italian occupation.
• Rhymes for ethiopia
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin Aethiopia, which derives from the Ancient Greek Aithiopia (Αἰθιοπία), meaning 'land of the burnt-faced peoples', a compound of 'aitho' (I burn) and 'ops' (face).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ethiopia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ethiopia