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Rastafarianism

(räˌstə-färˈē-ə-nĭzˌəm, răsˌtə-fârˈ-)

noun

A religious and political movement originating in Jamaica in the 1930s that bases its doctrine on selections from the Bible and regards Ethiopia as the Promised Land and Haile Selassie as a messiah, with many members advocating nonviolence and rejecting materialism.

Origin:

Origin: After Ras Tafari Makonnen, former name of Haile Selassie, proclaimed a divine being by adherents

Origin: : Amharic ras, head, prince; see rאš in Semitic roots

Origin: + Amharic täfäri, to be feared

Origin: , participle of täfärra, to be feared, derived stem of färra, to fear, respect; see prh in Semitic roots