tigre
tigre Lexical Profile
• noun
A Semitic language spoken primarily in Eritrea and eastern Sudan.
"Tigre is closely related to the ancient language of Ge'ez and serves as a major lingua franca in the region."
A member of an ethnic group predominantly living in the northern and western lowlands of Eritrea and parts of eastern Sudan.
"Historically, many of the Tigre have been nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralists."
• adjective
Relating to the Tigre people, their culture, or their language.
"The researcher documented several Tigre oral traditions during her fieldwork in the northern Eritrean lowlands."
Word Nuance & Usage
The language Tigre is often confused with Tigrinya; while both are Semitic languages spoken in the Horn of Africa and share roots in the ancient Ge'ez language, they are distinct languages spoken by different populations.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the ancient Semitic language Ge'ez, historically associated with the northern provinces of the Ethiopian Empire and modern-day Eritrea.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.