Ge'ez

(noun)

A script used as an abugida (syllable alphabet) for several languages of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It originated as anabjad (consonant-only alphabet) and was first used to write the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Related Terms

Examples of Ge'ez in the following topics:

  • Kingdom of Aksum

    • The Aksumite Empire is notable for a number of achievements, such as its own alphabet, the Ge'ez alphabet, which was eventually modified to include vowels.
    • Since the schism with orthodoxy following the Council of Chalcedon (451), it has been an important Miaphysite church, and its scriptures and liturgy continue to be in Ge'ez.
    • The Aksumite Empire was one of the first African polities economically and politically ambitious enough to issue its own coins, which bore legends in Ge'ez and Greek.