noun
ras
noun
1
A title given to an Ethiopian prince, governor, or high-ranking noble.
"The old chronicle described how the ras raised an army to defend the northern province."
2
A headland or cape jutting into the sea, especially in place names of North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
"Sailors used the ras as a landmark before turning south along the coast."
How to Use Ras
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA specialist word — either an Ethiopian noble title or a coastal headland, both from an Amharic word meaning "head."
Word Forms
rases plural, rases plural, Rases plural
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The old chronicle described how the _____ raised an army to defend the northern province.
Etymology
From Amharic ras, literally "head" — the same word used for the body part, extended to mean a headland of land or a "head" of state.