Rastafarianism definition

rästə-färē-ə-nĭzəm, răstə-fâr-
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 I as a messiah, with many members advocating nonviolence and rejecting materialism.
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Origin of rastafarianism

  • After Ras Tafari Makonnen, former name of Haile Selassie I, proclaimed a divine being by adherents Amharic ras head, prince rℵš in Semitic roots Amharic täfäri feared participle of täfärra to be feared derived stem of färra to fear, respect prh in Semitic roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition