Ogaden
/ˈoʊɡədɛn/noun
A historical region of eastern Ethiopia, also associated with the Somali clan of the same name.
Did you know?“Ogaden” is closely connected with Ogaadeen, the name of a major Somali clan, while the precise original meaning of the name remains uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-modern period
Somali
Ogaadeen
“Name of a Somali clan; the ultimate internal meaning is disputed or not securely established.”
19th Century
European usage
Ogaden
“A geographic name adopted in European-language writing for the Somali-inhabited southeastern Ethiopian region.”
Late 19th Century
Amharic/European maps
Ogaden
“A regional designation appearing in colonial and diplomatic descriptions of the Horn of Africa.”
20th Century
English
Ogaden
“Established English-language name for the region, especially in accounts of Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Ogaden War.”
Modern English
English
Ogaden
“A historical-geographical proper noun referring principally to southeastern Ethiopia and its Somali cultural setting.”