Ethiopian

Ethiopian, a term of uncertain origin and varied application in ethnological treatises. For the Greeks all the peoples of Africa beyond Egypt were Ethiopians; but there were also Asiatic Ethiopians, and the term Ethiopia was, in fact, given to every region whose inhabitants were of a black colour, burnt, as was supposed, by the heat of the sun, the popular derivation being from aitho, to burn, and ops, face. Later, the Abyssinians, although Semites, adopted the word, and now call themselves "Ithiopiavian"; but under this designation modern ethnologists comprise the eastern branch of the Hamitic family, whose chief members are the Bejas, Gallas, Somali, Danakil, and Agau. [Hamitic Races.]