I. ˈn(y)übēən adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Nubia, region in Nile valley, northeastern Africa + English -an, adjective suffix
1.
a. : of, relating to, or characteristic of Nubia
b. : of, relating to, or characteristic of the Nubians
2. : of, relating to, or characteristic of a Nubian language
II. noun
( -s )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Nubia, region in Nile valley + English -an, n. suffix
1. : one of the people of Nubia ; especially : a member of one of the group of negroid tribes who were early Christianized and formed a powerful empire between Egypt and Ethiopia from the 6th to the 14th centuries when they were conquered by the Arabs and converted to the Muslim religion
2.
a. : any of several languages spoken in central and northern Sudan especially by the Nuba people and including some dialects that are extremely distantly related if at all
b. : a branch of the Chari-Nile language family containing the Nubian language of the Nuba people
c. : cushitic
3.
a. also nubian horse : an Arabian horse from Nubia
b. also nubian goat : a breed of long-legged roman-nosed brown or black goats of northern Africa the does of which are relatively heavy milkers ; also : a goat of this breed — compare anglo-nubian