negus
5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for negus, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A king or ruler in Ethiopia; used as a royal title, with the emperor styled negusa nagast, "king of kings".
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A king or ruler in Ethiopia; used as a royal title, with the emperor styled negusa nagast, "king of kings".
“The negus received the envoys at his court in Gondar.”
2. noun dated, British
A hot drink made from wine, usually port, mixed with hot water, sugar, lemon and spice.
“Guests were revived with cake and a glass of negus.”
How to use negus
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
The historical title is neutral and encyclopedic. The slang respelling carries all the restrictions of the word it replaces and is not made acceptable by the alternative spelling.
Etymology
The royal title is from Amharic nəgus, "king", from a Semitic root meaning "to reign". The drink is a separate word, named after an Englishman called Negus who is traditionally credited with the recipe.
Full origin of negus →Frequently asked questions
Does the n-word come from negus?
No. The slur descends from Spanish and Portuguese negro, "black", from Latin niger. The claimed link to Amharic negus is a modern folk etymology; the two words are unrelated, however popular the idea has become in song lyrics and online.
How do you pronounce negus?
The Ethiopian title is usually said NEE-guhs in English, closer to nə-GUS in Amharic. The hip-hop spelling is pronounced the same way as the word it stands in for.
What is the difference between negus and emperor in Ethiopia?
Negus was the title of a king, and Ethiopia had several regional kings at once during some periods. The emperor above them all was the negusa nagast, literally "king of kings".