Dictionary

Rastafari en · ADJ

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *raʔš- Amharic ራስ (ras) Amharic ተፈሪ (täfäri) English Rastafari From Amharic ራስ (ras, “Duke”, literally “head”) and ተፈሪ (täfäri, “revered”) from ተፈሪ መኮንን (täfäri mäkonn, “Haile Selassie”, literally “feared (son of) Makonnen”). More at Haile Selassie.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Rastafarian.
   • All that was behind him, he said, for he had become Rastafari and all he wanted to do was to learn black history and spread love and feelings to everybody. 1991, David Dabydeen, chapter II, in The Intended, London: Minerva, published 1992, →ISBN, page 87:
   • Ras Sam Brown, for example, explains why he is Rastafari by situating himself as a link between the past and present: […] 2009, Charles Price, “Encounters”, in Becoming Rasta: Origins of Rastafari Identity in Jamaica, New York, N.Y.: New York University Press, →ISBN, page 145:
   • “Are you from Jamaica?” he blurted out. / The Rastafarian stopped and looked at the reporter with soft red eyes. “Who, I? Sí.” / “Are you Rastafari?” Sloman pressed. 1979, Larry Sloman, “Overture”, in Reefer Madness: The History of Marijuana in America, Indianapolis, Ind.: Bobbs-Merrill Company, →ISBN, page 15:

Deriveds

Rastaman

wikipedia: Makonnen

Rastafari en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *raʔš- Amharic ራስ (ras) Amharic ተፈሪ (täfäri) English Rastafari From Amharic ራስ (ras, “Duke”, literally “head”) and ተፈሪ (täfäri, “revered”) from ተፈሪ መኮንን (täfäri mäkonn, “Haile Selassie”, literally “feared (son of) Makonnen”). More at Haile Selassie.

Meanings

1. A Rastafarian.
   • At the same time, social, economic, and even political relations remain individualistic and personal rather than communitarian as in the case of the Bobo. Thus most Rastafari are allowed to lead their own lives as members of a religion but without the risk of violating collective discipline. They have a sense of identity but without ritual obligation. 1994, Barry Chevannes, Rastafari: Roots and Ideology, Syracuse University Press, →ISBN, page 190:
   • Repatriation is viewed as a must for Rastafari, and the earliest Rastafari did not have the resources to make this return possible or, as anthropologist Charles Price details, “sold all they possessed in order to leave for Africa” (2009, 218). Price has spoken of the shift in class among Rastafari; though many Rastafari are still economically deprived, there do exist “monied Rastafari” (ibid.). 2020, Erin C. MacLeod, “Rastafari Citizenship Strategies in Ethiopia: Ethnic Existence, Diaspora Claims, Resident Identification”, in Ian O. Boxill, editor, Ideaz, volume 15 (A 2020 Vision Perspective on the Rastafari Movement: Revisiting the Field & Taking Steps Forward), Kingston: Arawak Publications, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 167:
   • Over time, the Bible has been altered from its original state. For political and economic reasons, things have been edited out, especially in the case of the King James I version of the Bible (Nicholas 1979). Therefore many Rastafari are particularly selective about what they believe in the scriptures. 2018, Michael Barnett, The Rastafari Movement: A North American and Caribbean Perspective, Routledge, →ISBN:

Forms

Descendants

Rastafáraí

wikipedia: Makonnen

Rastafari en · PROPN

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *raʔš- Amharic ራስ (ras) Amharic ተፈሪ (täfäri) English Rastafari From Amharic ራስ (ras, “Duke”, literally “head”) and ተፈሪ (täfäri, “revered”) from ተፈሪ መኮንን (täfäri mäkonn, “Haile Selassie”, literally “feared (son of) Makonnen”). More at Haile Selassie.

Meanings

1. Rastafarianism.

Synonyms

Rasta

wikipedia: Makonnen